


Half a Life

by Thatoneguyyoudidntknowfromtumblr



Series: The Saga of Lacroa [3]
Category: SD Gundam Force
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, F/M, Kidnapping, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other, Psychological Torture, Torture, relationship angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 11:38:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 50,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7890280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatoneguyyoudidntknowfromtumblr/pseuds/Thatoneguyyoudidntknowfromtumblr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Far to the north of Lacroa, an exiled noble's plans for revenge against the royal family are coming to fruition...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The wind ripped in and around the clothing of the figure making his way through the blizzard. Cloth was wrapped around his face so only his gray-brown eyes were visible, though these were nearly frozen shut. Ice coated the jacket, thick woolen pants and heavy boots he wore, the relentless chill eating its way past the hooded cloak covering it all. He had his arms wrapped firmly around his chest, gloved hands buried under his arms to try to keep his fingers from frostbite. Topping a hill, he bowed his head against the wind, a sudden gust stronger than the rest driving him to his knees.The young man struggled up again, bending his six foot form against the strength of the tempest, not daring to stop or turn back. _I have to keep going,_ was the only thought running through his battered and half-frozen mind. _I cannot turn back, I have to warn Lacroa!_

Little did the man know but he was being watched from the confines of the fortress he had left behind. Two sets of eyes, one human, one gundam, both equally unsympathetic to his plight, were fixed on the view screen which showed his faint outline slowly disappearing into the snow and wind.

“I can’t go after him?” The gundam growled, his form hidden by a dark cloak so that only his eyes, a rich, dark garnet in color, showed. “I’d bring him back … mostly alive.”

“Let him die in the storm,” the human said, reaching to turn off the monitor. His yellowed brown eyes fixed on the ruby-eyed gundam and he smirked. “I have another job for your blood-thirst. I want to test my memory-gap program on that abomination of a comrade of yours.”

“That _thing_ is no comrade of mine,” the red-eyed gundam spat. “What are you going to make him forget?”

“What you just offered to do to my son.”

**

The white fist with black fingers pounded into the gundanium armor again and again, by now not even extracting grunts of pain from their victim. The one administering the beating was caught up in his rage, paying the figure under his hands back for crimes he had done long, long ago. Under the repeated blows, the gundanium mask adorning the mech’s face first cracked, then splintered, causing the ruby-eyed gundam to sit back briefly, panting, to admire his handiwork. The gundam under him was nigh unrecognizable, beaten within an inch of his life. And the gundam, having forgotten the point of the exercise in the savage joy he got from the beating itself, meant to take that last inch in the most painful way he possibly could.

He shifted so he was straddling the other gundam, his knees on the ground, perfectly positioned to strike at the pale green crystal adorning the gundam’s chest. Four times he landed devastating blows, ignoring the damage to his own hands, pausing only when he detected a flaw in the crystal which protected the chamber that housed the mech’s life force. A savage grin split his face beneath his own mask and he raised both hands over his head, plunging his arms down in the blow which would, hopefully in his mind, extinguish the gundam’s life.

Hands caught his own and rage at being denied the kill exploded in his mind, driving every bit of reason from his form. His attack shifted itself to the figure which had stopped the blow and he managed to land two vicious strikes before electricity arced over his form and he gave a terrible cry of pain, the force of the lightning sending him crashing back against one of the walls of the room.

“You forget your place,” the man told the gundam coldly. “As enjoyable as your little show was, we need this wretched abomination _alive_.”

“Of course, Master,” the red-eyed gundam gasped, slowly picking himself up. “My apologies… I forgot myself.”

“Of course you did,” the man sighed, shaking his head. His stringy gray-brown hair slipped into his face and he pushed it irritably back, his hand covered in strip-bandages across the many cuts and scabs earned in his work. “You’re only slightly better than this thing. Go clean yourself up.”

“Yes, Lord Iswyn.” The red-eyed gundam gave one last hated glare to the gundam on the floor and disappeared out the door.

Lord Iswyn du Bennr, exiled noble of Lacroa, was an oddly proportioned man. He was tall but lacked the muscles most men of his height earned with honest labor. He had never seemed to lose the awkwardness of a teen, seeming to be nothing but elbows, knees and skinny wrists. A gaunt face covered in a salt and pepper three-day beard and constant coating of grime added no favors to his appearance, nor did his stringy gray-brown hair. With hands large but stubby fingers, he carelessly lifted the shattered form of the gundam from the floor and returned him to a dirty repair table, placing him there with no care for the hurts the garnet-eyed gundam had inflicted. The fluids leaking from the gundam’s form joined the myriad of fluids already staining the man’s careless clothing.

Working briefly to patch the life-threatening damage only, Iswyn plugged the gundam into a machine and began to type, watching the readouts with an evermore pleased expression. Returning to the gundam’s side, he made all the repairs necessary for the gundam to move but nothing more before reaching over to press a button on the console. Aquamarine eyes flickered and a groan wrenched its way from the gundam’s chest.

“Do you remember what happened?” Iswyn asked, looking over the gundam’s still-shattered form to make sure he hadn’t missed a crucial connection.

“N-no,” the gundam rasped, coughing slightly. “What–”

“It’s not important,” Iswyn said dismissively, already moving on to his next project. A chime alerted him to a long-time plan coming to fruition and he smiled, the expression doing his face no favors, despite his teeth being solid and white. They were possibly the only clean thing about him. 

“You’ll be glad to know that our guests have arrived. They’re outside as we speak.”

“Guests?” The gundam asked, easing his way off the repair bench. “Lord Iswyn, what–”

“A test, nothing more,” Iswyn told him impatiently. “And yes, Deathscythe. All four of them.”

The gundam’s battered head snapped up and his aquamarine eyes fixed on the monitor Iswyn was idly gazing at, the hate burning in his systems giving him the energy to keep moving. “I should go prepare the splicing machine,” he said, “we can’t keep the Gundam Force waiting!”


	2. Chapter 2

When the heat of summer took its first dramatic downward spike to the gentler temperatures of fall, Lacroa was often rocked by thunderstorms. Today was no different, with the rain lashing castle and city, lightning scorching the clouds in vicious strobes. Each smash of thunder rattled the buildings of the gentle land’s capital city, but its foundations, like its people, had hidden strength. It wasn’t weather for anyone to be out in and the majority of the population was curled up in their homes, patiently waiting for nature’s fury to be spent.

The small figure standing on the cliff overlooking Lacroa Palace, allowing the wind to tear at her blood-red cape and the rain to pummel her armor without any attempt to stop it was one of the only people out and about during the tempest. Winter, Royal Knight of Silent Frost, was no stranger to adverse conditions. Her body showed the marks of a life hard lived with a vicious band of torn up metal at her throat and a chip knocked out of the mask all of her kind wore over their faces under her left eye. Beside the chip was a crack which made its jagged way almost half way down her mask to two horizontal black bands that flashed dark blue when she spoke. The dark blue had once been matched by her eyes, but circumstances had changed them to a starkly pale ice blue, holding true to her affinity as an ice mage.

Winter was slightly smaller than the average adult of her kind, something most humans mistakenly attributed to the fact that she had a female personality. Gundams in Lacroa, however, were not limited by this very human of traits. Winter, with her almost austere silver plate armor, the only embellishment being a pale yellow crystal on her chest, preferred her stature. It made it easier for her to take her enemies by surprise when she defeated them with her sword work or her ice spells, a skill she only used on occasion. Even after practicing for eight years there were still some aspects of the ice magic she couldn’t control, something she had come to grudgingly accept.

Time and experience had shifted her outlook on life. No longer did she accept the cruelties and evils of the world as the norm, no longer was she made uncomfortable by the simple joys life could bring. She had become wiser, somewhat gentler but simultaneously more willing to express her opinion if she saw an injustice being done. It was her duty, as one of the elite Knights of Lacroa, to protect those who could not protect themselves and to mete out justice where it was due. She loved her Code of Chivalry almost as much as she loved her paramour of a little over two years, Zero, the Winged Knight, Savior and Champion of Lacroa.

“There be somethin’ on your mind that ain’t the storm,” a growling and yet still gentle voice said from behind her. Winter, knowing pretending that she hadn’t heard him would not only be rude but impossible with this particular gundam, turned to face Fang, Royal Knight of the Hunt, putting her back to the rain and the wind. Fang had also changed in the eight years since his arrival from his former home in the Pirate Isles, though in more obvious ways. Atop his helm were perched two upright gray ears, with metallic fur making its way down the back of his helm and under the gray great-coat which fell to mid-calf on his legs. Where the coat split in the back he sported a gray tail, also furred in gray and an appendage which often betrayed his mood. Right now it was down, though not so much that it was between his legs, something Winter could honestly never remember seeing. Under the great-coat in the front Fang wore a piece of armor fashioned like chain mail which sported a large Crest of Lacroa right across his breast. His legs were clad in plain black armor, his feet in brown sea-faring boots. His hands were covered in plain gray gauntlets.

Originally raised as part of the rebel force against the occupation of his home by Dark Axis forces, he had been a member of a specialist team called the Smoke Jumpers. He and his siblings, Claw, Talon and Peregrine Wing had been trained by two Knight Gundams whom had been stranded when the island chain had been ripped from the borders of Lacroa and Ark seven years before the Fall of Lacroa. Betrayed by their brother Talon, he and his siblings had joined with the Gundam Force in an effort which had ultimately meant the death of Lodarian and the return of the Isles to their proper place. During this battle Winter had been forced to kill Talon, something which had haunted her for a very long time.

“Am I worrying enough minds that you were sent to fetch me in out of the rain?” Winter wanted to know, ignoring the way her words made her fellow Royal Knight’s wolf ears flick back in momentary surprise.

“Y’are now,” Fang said, his brown eyes watching her quietly. “Y’know where Zero be? Our Winged Knight be late for a meetin’ an’ didn’t rouse ‘imself when I banged on yer door.”

Winter’s gaze snapped to focused and she crossed her arms over her chest. “He left for NeoTopia last night. No doubt he got distracted visiting Sayla.”

Fang’s ears flicked again, this time forward. The large gundam, easily quarter of a foot taller than Winter, moved closer, one hand up slightly as if he wanted to wrap that arm around his fellow Royal Knight’s shoulders. “Easy, Lady Knight. I’ve been noticin’ things be off kilter ‘tween you’n our Winged Knight lately. Tell a’ old wolf what’s wrong, perchance we can be fixin’ it.”

“Aye?” The smaller gundam asked acidly, her mood sour enough that she didn’t notice herself slipping into the Pirate Isles cant. It was a habit she had picked up during her two years of growing up among its citizens. She jabbed a finger into the storm, the rain turning to sleet in a small pocket of frigid air around her. “If Zero weren’t daft an’ had the wherewithall to get his bleedin’ over-sized head outta his arse–”

“Sir Winter! Sir Fang!”

Whatever Fang had been preparing to say was silenced by another arrival, this one a member of the most recent group of gundams going through Knight training. Instantly Winter composed herself, the ice vanishing from her armor in the onslaught from the storm. A sharp look from Fang let her know, however, that she wasn’t going to get out of explaining herself. “Easy, lad,” the wolf-gundam said over the sound of the storm. “Catch your breath.”

The youngster shook his head, panting. “No time,” he gasped, “summons from the Princess. Communications portal from NeoTopia. Extremely urgent!”

Both Fang and the young Knight-in-Training clapped their hands over their ears when a burst of thunder crashed directly overhead, lightning splitting the sky. A two-toned whistle split the momentary silence after the blast; Winter had ignored the clamor and was calling her mecha-horse, a war-mare from Ark named Day. The blue and silver mare burst into view out of the storm, skidding to a stop in front of Winter and giving her a curious look. Though mecha-horses couldn’t speak, they were extremely intelligent and understood their chosen masters perfectly.

“Come,” Winter said, swinging onto the mare’s bare back without hesitation, offering her hand to Fang once she was settled. “Have no fear, Fang, she will carry you. Squire, be safe in getting back to the Palace.”

“I will, sir Winter,” the young gundam said, bowing. “Thank you.”

During this brief exchange, Fang carefully clambered onto the back of Winter’s steed, barely having enough time to wrap his arms securely around the smaller Knight Gundam in front of him before Day took off into the rain. Not a coward in any sense, the fur on the back of his helm still stood up straight when Winter urged the mecha-horse directly at the cliff, going far too fast in Fang’s estimation to be able to turn in time.

“Hold on!” Winter called, focused entirely on the ground ahead.

“It be funny y’think y’need t’tell me that!” Fang shouted in her ear, doing his best to relax and trust both mount and rider. Winter shifted her weight, and his, just in time to help Day make the turn onto the slim path leading down. She shifted their weight again, this time more over the mecha-horse’s hindquarters, for no reason Fang could see until Day abruptly seemed to sit down on the steep path. All four hooves were carefully under the war-mare, her front legs braced and her hind legs in a controlled slide. Glancing down, Fang realized that the slide was the only way to take the path in this weather; it was a river of mud and rainwater. The deep furrows the mare’s hooves gouged were erased in moments by the deluge. The wolf-gundam did his best not to disrupt the carefully kept balance until she stood again with a lurch at the base of the path, galloping through the deserted streets of Lacroa’s capital city.

They jumped the worst of the torrents, trusting that Day would be able to keep her feet in the rivers the streets had become. The main gate separating Palace from city stood ajar, something which gave both Royal Knights pause until they saw the guards waving them through. Fang glanced back over his shoulder and saw the two strong men pulling the gate shut as soon as they had passed. At Winter’s urging, Day kept going until they had reached the stairs leading into the Palace proper, only slowing when they saw Princess Relejimana Maya du Lacroa standing at the top, sheltered from the storm by a carefully cast magical shield.

Instantly a hostler from the Palace stables came for the blowing war-mare, promising Winter that he would take good care of her. Normally, Princess Rele’s first question would have been for the mecha-horse, since she loved animals of all kinds. The fact that her expression was pinched and she only spared a glance for the horse before leading her Royal Knights inside spoke volumes for the gravity of the situation. The huge door leading into the Palace closed with a slam after the three of them, blown shut by a heavy blast of wind. The sound echoed in the abrupt silence, drawing Winter’s attention to the fact that Princess Rele was wringing her hands together with worry.

“Princess?” She asked, her broken and rasping voice clumsily breaking the quiet.

“Chief Haro has alerted me to some very grave news,” Rele said, turning to face them at last. “There was to be a meeting of the Gundam Force today. Though Zero left late last night, he is not in NeoTopia from what Blanc Base can tell. Furthermore, neither Shute nor Captain are responding to any attempts to contact them. They cannot be found.”

Both Royal Knights fell quiet, though for different reasons. Mana swelled around Fang, the wolf-gundam casting the most powerful Hunt spells he knew. Winter’s head bowed and one hand raised to clench in front of her chest, expression completely hidden from both of her companions.

“They ain’t within my range,” Fang said at last, his words prompting a slight flinch from Winter and a soft sound of distress from Princess Rele. “I’d best be goin’ to NeoTopia t’see if I can be pickin’ up their trail there.”

“I would rather you go to Ark,” Rele said, surprising them both. “Bakunetsumaru was also called for this meeting and has not shown up, either. It could simply be that they have gathered there instead of in NeoTopia.”

The bands in Fang’s mask flashed briefly, like he had started to speak but decided against it. “Aye, Princess,” he said, bowing, “by your order.”

“A Royal Knight should stay in Lacroa,” Winter said suddenly. “Fang is of higher rank than I am. I will go to Ark, to Bakunetsumaru’s home.”

“Not alone you won’t,” a new voice said from the other end of the hall. The two Royal Knights and Princess Rele turned to see the cat-gundam Claw, Shadow Knight, leaning against the doorway leading into the rest of the Palace. Knowing the act was useless, Winter still leveled a glare in the Knight’s direction. Despite her not sharing the privileges of rank her brother Fang did, Claw acted like she did, speaking her mind whenever she chose. It was a trait which had gotten her in trouble countless times and was one of the reasons she was not a Royal Knight.

Though she was technically older than Fang, Claw rarely acted like it, instead preferring to fit the role her cat-like armor portrayed. Like Winter and Fang, she had changed in the last eight years, refining her image to one less wild but no less savage. Her bronze helm held two ear-like structures, curved and sweeping down to the back of her helm in crests. Her golden eyes were well situated above a mask which was framed by the fangs of an angry cat, an expression she often used to her advantage to spook the newest Knights-in-training. Her torso was boned on the sides and middle like a corset, brown and patterned with gold swirls to match her eyes. The swirls had been refashioned to frame a small Crest of Lacroa in the center of her chest, also in gold, proclaiming her role as a Knight. The intricately carved gauntlets on her hands rose to slightly past her elbows and the armor above them and on her shoulders was unpainted. She wore black armor on her legs and brown sea-faring boots, which matched her brown cape. “You be too close t’this, Winter, seein’ how it be Zero in the fog. Y’need a more level head t’keep you grounded.”

“Thank you for volunteering,” Princess Rele said, “to accompany myself and Winter into Ark, Claw.”

“Princess–” Fang began, his tone protesting. The young lady, now twenty one years of age, held up a finely wrought hand to silence him.

“Neither Winter nor Claw can open portals, Fang. Until we discover a way for them to do so, we will save time by my accompanying them.”

“Yes, Princess,” Fang said, his ears flattening slightly. The mobile appendages often showed his mood more easily than the rest of him. “I’ll be goin’ t’gather some of my wolves for the hunt.”

“Thank you, Fang,” Princess Rele murmured. Claw arrived at Rele’s side the same time Fang exited the room, leaving the three women alone together. Princess Relejimana stood before the two Knights whom had known her the longest, besides the missing Zero, with dignity and strength but without the good humor which almost always touched her features. For the first time in many years, Winter saw a true fear in her Princess, something which instead of shaking her, strengthened her resolve.

“We are here for you, Princess,” she said in impulse.

“Aye,” Claw added unexpectedly. “Never fear, Highness. If we not be findin’ the lads in Ark, Fang’ll find ‘em, certain.”

The young woman before them gave a faint smile, motioning to them until both Knights were standing on either side of her, close enough she could place her hands on their shoulders. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I fear for my people, my Knights. I fear Lacroa is to be tested again by enemies we do not yet know.”

Claw tossed out a rakish grin, her golden eyes sparking in the light. “I fear for them as stupid enough t’attack Lacroa,” she said, “we be strong, aye, Winter?”

“Yes,” Winter confirmed, forcing confidence into her stance and her rusty voice. “Princess, Lacroa is once more a force to be reckoned with. We are wiser, now, and our armies are comprised of stalwart soldiers and Knights whom will fight with fierce loyalty. Believe in them, as they believe in you.”

“I will,” Rele murmured, glancing at the door briefly before beginning to cast the portal spell.


	3. Chapter 3

The weather in Ark was hot and dry, the sun scorching down on the fields surrounding Bakunetsumaru’s home. The silence in the dry rice paddies was broken only by the click and rattle of insects and the crackling of the plants in the parched breeze slipping through the fields with a false promise of relief from the temperature. Winter instantly felt like coughing when she, Rele and Claw materialized on the road a short ways from the village. Well aware of the Royal Knight’s intense dislike of dry, hot places, Rele shot Winter a sympathetic look. Claw merely stretched, lifting her face to the sun in appreciation of its warmth.

Seconds later both Claw and Winter had summoned their weapons, having both spotted the same thing; a trail of dust revealing someone approaching their position at high speed. Winter, possessing both a sword and a shield to Claw’s bladed polearm, stepped in front of Rele while Claw guarded both of their backs from ambush from behind. Within moments, Rele placed a hand on Winter’s shoulder, signaling she could relax. The Princess had recognized the approaching form as Kesshō of the Mizu clan, the small ryuu gundam who was a close friend of Bakuentsumaru and other members of the SDG. The blond and blue form skidded to a stop before them, eyes wide on seeing the weapons. She also seemed disappointed, something which was explained by the first words out of her mouth.

“Oh, Bakunetsumaru isn’t with you?”

“He isn’t here?” Rele asked, brow pinched. Kesshō shook her head, sticking out her tongue a little.

“Left a note a couple of days ago saying he’d gone to NeoTopia,” the ryuu said, tapping the claws of one foot on the ground uneasily.

“He is not there,” Winter said, slipping her sword into her shield but not banishing the weapons to their pocket of Mana just yet. “We are here because NeoTopia alerted us the other members of the Gundam Force are also missing.”

“That’s not good,” Kesshō stated, giving the Royal Knight a strange look for lumping Zero in as simply a member of the Gundam Force instead of mentioning him in particular. “C’mon, let’s go inside. It’s miserable out here and I think we should pro’lly call Genki or something. See if he knows anything.”

The red and white war-stallion Entengo was pacing restlessly in front of the Blazing Samurai’s home, looking oddly out of place in the peaceful setting. The mecha-horse’s head jerked up at the approach of the four girls, his usually gentle brown eyes intensely worried. The small group exchanged a glance, Winter moving to Entengo’s head to place a gentle hand on his muzzle. “Do you know where your master is?” The ice mage asked softly. Entengo gave an all-over shake, pushing his nose against her hand.

“You said Bakunetsumaru left a note saying he was going to Blanc Base?” Princess Rele asked Kesshō. The small ryuu nodded, heading up the stairs at a quick pace.

“I’ll go get it!” She chirped, “it’s in his handwriting and everything! C’mon inside, we gotta call Britainmaru or Genkimaru.”

“I will remain outside,” Winter said, surprising them all. Claw gave the Knight of Silent Frost an appraising look which Winter refused to match, keeping her pale eyes fixed on Entengo. “I would like to examine the note when you have a chance, Kesshō.”

“Sure,” she agreed. Moments later she was back, though only to hand the note to Winter before disappearing back inside with Rele and Claw. Claw lingered the longest, for once hesitating before sliding the soji door shut.

Letting out a soft breath, Winter turned her attention to the bit of parchment Kesshō had handed her. Bakuentsumaru’s handwriting was as neat as always, almost perfect calligraphy of the complicated written language of Ark. The armor on the back of her neck prickling sharply, she held the note out in Entengo’s line of sight, letting the mecha-horse examine it as well. “This was not written by Baku’s hand was it?” she asked softly. “Despite being in his handwriting. We both may agree on that.”

Bobbing his head, Entengo paced in a small circle around Winter, his hooves in a staccato beat on the dry ground. Though the horse had no way of speaking other than in the ways of his kind, Winter’s experiences with her own mount had given her a rough understanding of the behavior of the large mecha-animals from Ark. The stallion kept lifting his head to look off over the dry fields around the house and village, a distinct air of impatience around him.

“You wish to come with us,” Winter murmured, earning another head bob. “I am sorry, my friend. We are not likely to have enough room. I had to leave my own horse behind– you remember her, the war-mare Day. Entengo, listen to me.”

The stallion went still, focusing his brown gaze on the small Royal Knight before him. Winter reached to place a hand under his jaw, a place of trust for them both since she could hurt him badly with only a small bit of pressure and she had left herself defenseless if he chose to bite.

“Stay here,” she said, “help whomever Kesshō and the Princess find to guard your master’s lands. He will appreciate this greatly, I am sure.”

At first it looked like Entengo was going to refuse, but the mecha-horse lowered his head and heaved a great sigh. He gave another head bob, signaling his acceptance to being left behind yet again. Winter had lifted her free hand to place on Entengo’s neck when Kesshō burst out of the house, Claw and Princess Rele following at a more sedate pace.

“Britainmaru has agreed to take stewardship of Bakunetsumaru’s lands while we search for him,” Rele said, her clear blue eyes resting on Winter and Entengo. “We are returning to Lacroa.”

“All of us!” Kesshō agreed, hopping down the steps.

**

They all ended up around a table at Blanc Base, comparing notes with the officers of the SDG and agreeing that sending discreet messages to Kibaomaru and Falcon Freeborn would be the best next step. Once that had been done, Winter gave the note to Fang. The Knight of the Hunt agreed that while it was in the Blazing Samurai’s handwriting, it hadn’t been written by Bakunetsumaru himself. He took the note out onto the deck of the SDG, beginning to cast his most powerful Hunt spell now that he had a focus to cast it on.

“We only know one thing,” Princess Rele said to the group, “and this is that all four of them claimed to have been traveling to, or in, NeoTopia before vanishing.”

“We know that Captain and Shute were here,” Juli, Chief Haro’s top-ranked officer, said. Time had been kind to the woman and she had hardly changed in the last eight years. “But our sensors recorded only minor anomalies over the last seventy two hours. Even these are well within normal ranges– the only reason I mention them is that there were exactly three of them and two of them focused on the portals from Lacroa and Ark. We’ve tried, but we can’t trace them.”

“Fang’s out on the deck workin’ his best,” Claw put in, for once not casually draped over a random piece of furniture but standing in an at-ease posture with her hands clasped behind her back. It was an exact copy of Winter’s stance, both gundams positioned on one side of Princess Rele’s chair. The door on the far side of the room hissed open and Fang strode through, shaking his head.

“Found traces of th’ same as on the note,” he said into the silence, his brown eyes slightly darker than usual. “Ain’t got good news. That as taken our lads… used Lacroa Mana. But it be sour.”

“Sour?” Haro asked, his voice puzzled. The green mask covering his face was expressionless, as always.

“S’only way I can describe it,” Fang said with a shrug. “Trace’s sour, like a bad peach. Smells half rot, too. Thing is, ain’t strong here, likeas time be washin’ it away. Now that I’ve got th’ scent in me nose, I know where I’ve smelled it a’fore: Lacroa. We’d best be gettin’ back there, Princess.”

“We should be returning anyway,” Rele agreed with a sigh, standing. Haro and Juli both stood at the same time she did, both out of respect for the Princess and because the meeting was clearly over. “We will let you know the moment we find anything, Chief Haro.”

“Please,” Haro said, turning to escort Rele from the room.

Winter trailed behind the rest of the group, doing her best to master the emotions and feelings roiling inside her. Already worn to her last nerve, the flicker of movement out of the corner of one eye caught her attention, despite her seeing nothing there when she looked. Frowning sharply, she kept her position at the back of the group, not noticing the odd looks Claw and Fang were giving her for her distraction. It wasn’t until they had crossed into Lacroa and the portal had closed behind them that Winter was able to pounce, taking two quick running steps and grabbing the figure in the shadows before they could escape. The Royal Knight held on to her prize despite the yelp it gave in a familiar voice, hauling the young human out into the light. “Princess Natalie!” She snapped, using the nickname she had given the youngster on their first meeting out of habit. “This is no time for games!”

Shute’s younger sister shook herself free from the Royal Knight Gundam, straightened to all the height her ten years had given her and scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not playing a game,” the girl said, defiance in every inch of her. Clear blue eyes swept around the room, finally settling on Princess Rele. “I know what’s going on, that Shute and the rest of the Gundam Force are missing. I’m gonna help you find them!”

“Aye?” Claw purred, stalking up behind the youngster. “An’ what exactly would you be contributin’ t’this venture, poppit? Why should we not be pitchin’ you back through th’ portal twixt y’came?”

“Winter’s been teaching me sword-work!” Natalie said, one hand falling to the blade she wore on her left hip. “And the Code of Chivalry!”

“Which includes both knowing when to follow orders and knowing when you are in over your head,” Winter said, earning a hurt look from the young human. “However,” the Royal Knight continued, surprising everyone when she shifted so she was standing at Natalie’s side in support, “we do not yet have an official representative of the Dimensional Guard with us and time grows ever shorter. It would behoove us not to have to negotiate with Chief Haro on who would be suitable to come with us. Natalie is young, Princess Rele, but she is good with a blade.”

“She’s a member of the SDG?” Rele asked, frowning.

“A special member!” Natalie claimed, “Shute said so!”

“Save us th’ time goin’ back and collecting who Haro had assigned,” Fang pointed out. “Winter be right. The trail goes cold as we speak.”

After a long moment Rele nodded slightly. “Natalie, I am trusting you to take care of yourself and not slow the rest of us down. However, if you do feel sick or get hurt I want you to tell one of us immediately. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Princess,” Natalie said. To everyone’s, including Winter’s, surprise, the girl bobbed a brief curtsy, wobbling only slightly.

“We should be gettin’ t’the Port of Roses,” Fang said, “see if Falcon’s back. We’ll be needin’ th’ speed of a Sky Ship on this venture, even if it be leadin’ us over land.”

**

“You’re sure, Fang?” Rele asked, looking out over the Port of Roses from where she was standing at the window of the Royal Office. The bad weather from earlier had passed, the sunset staining the buildings in the port a multitude of oranges and reds. Fang nodded, normally gentle brown eyes grim.

“Aye, Princess. The trail lead north, over the sea.” The wolf-gundam’s ears flattened out to the sides in irritation, though his voice remained level. “His Majesty th’ King don’t want all Royal Knights gone from Lacroa– I been ordered t’return t’the Palace to head up the Royal Guard protecting yer parents. An’ you’ve been ordered t’come with me. You’re t’leave this matter in Winter’s hands.”

Looking over to give her friend and guardian a tight smile, Rele shook her head. “I know they have my safety in mind but I will not go with you, Fang.” The young woman turned back to the window, her blond hair and pale features reflecting both the colors of the sunset and her own determination. “Zero never gave up looking for me when I had been captured and I will not return the favor by sitting safe within stone walls while Mana only knows what’s happening to him.”

Fang finally smiled, his ears tipping forward in a relaxed pose. “Aye, Princess. That be why Claw drugged me an’ th’ lot of you slipped away while I be sleepin’ it off. Not that you’d be knowin’ this, seein’ as how she’d never told’ja.”

Spinning to fully face the wolf-gundam, Rele stared at him until his words, and their true meaning, sank in. She crossed the room and gave her Royal Knight a firm hug, which he returned with a chuckle. “You are a wonder, Fang,” she murmured, drawing back. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Y’don’t need t’be thankin’ me, Princess.” The wolf-gundam gave her a wink. “You didn’t hear me say it, but a friend a’mine’s in port an’ I plan on drinkin’ t’all hours with him t’night, just so I’ll have a proper headache when I return t’the Castle tomorrow, sound rascal as I am.”

Rele shook her head, still smiling. “Mana thank what brought you to us, even so.”

“T’was your Winged Knight who brought me,” Fang said, his expression going serious. “Claw’s got a bit a’the Hunt magic. She’ll do good by you, trackin’ this quarry. You bring our Zero home, all’s even.”


	4. Chapter 4

The Sky Ship _Swallow’s Rest_ was not in Lacroa’s Port of Roses. There _was_ a message from Falcon stating that the earliest he could return was days after they needed to be gone and included a list of ships and captains he trusted. It was a short list and the one at the end interested Winter the most. _A fast ship,_ Falcon had written, _if you can get her captain to agree to the journey. A more contrary gundam I have never met. When you find your Winged Knight and the rest of the Gundam Force, thump him one from me for being so daft as to get himself captured like this. Winds be with you._

Leaving Rele in Claw’s care, Winter disappeared into the port. Claw, Natalie and Kesshō compared the list of names with those currently docked and found only two matched. Just as Rele was making her final decision as to which of the captains to approach, Winter pushed the door open and walked in, followed by a gundam none gathered had seen before. Claw’s head came up and her eyes narrowed, examining the newcomer by lamplight and wondering why she seemed so familiar.

“I have found a ship,” Winter announced, “ready to sail on your command, Princess.”

“Aye,” the strange gundam agreed, “I be captain of a good ship, one what owes somethin’ t’the Royal Family that I’d like t’pay back.”

The four girls sitting around the room all examined the new gundam with varying degrees of suspicion. Though she only stood just taller than Winter, the gundam was obviously from the Pirate Isles and of the sea-faring type, with a brown tri-pointed hat just over a rich, cranberry red bandanna, the tie of which was long enough to drape over one bare shoulder. Her armor was a loose cream sailing shirt running from her biceps to her wrists and from just below her collar to just past her thighs. A vest of brown armor was pulled tight across her chest. Her legs were black and her heeled boots brown with cream patterns at the top. Her black fingers were not covered by any kind of glove and were long and dexterous. Though they were empty at the moment, she wore scabbards for both a pistol and a sword at her belt, which was under the bottom of the cream shirt.

“You look familiar,” Claw growled, prowling over with her best intimidating stride. The sailor gundam’s green eyes contemplated her calmly, her stance nor her expression betraying any kind of fear of the Smoke Knight. “Frequent Island-At-The-End?”

The sailor simply gave an one-shouldered shrug. “Can’t say I do. You be Claw, that’s certain. Heard tell of you, but ain’t here t’talk of it. I be here t’talk t’the Princess Rele.”

“Claw.” Rele’s firm tone stopped the cat-gundam before she could do more than snarl. “Who are you,” the Princess continued, moving her violet-blue gaze to the newest addition to the room, “and what ship do you captain?”

“I sail the _Sparrow’s Pride_ an’ I be Kestrel Freeborn.”

**

The _Sparrow’s Pride_ had been so badly damaged during Admiral Lodarian’s occupation that the ship-of-war had been stripped to her keel and very carefully restored to as close to her original configuration as the shiprights of the Pirate Isles and the mages of Lacroa could get her. Thankfully the spells making her a Sky Ship had been in the keel itself and had adapted to her new shape without much prodding from the mages of Lacroa. The original spells for making a Sky Ship or even refreshing the ones already present had been lost during the occupation.

Though her kind of ship often had three masts she only had two, at least at the moment. Her crew, comprised of humans, robots and gundams, scurried over the rigging with careless ease, following the shouted orders of those situated on deck below. On her bow was the carving of a female gundam with green wings flaring back almost fifteen feet along the sides of the ship. The figurehead had green panes for optics and its hands were cradling a fierce-looking bird of prey which gazed straight ahead.

The instant Kestrel stepped aboard, Winter and Natalie both noticed the green optics in the figurehead blaze to life, their light obvious in the coming darkness. Human and gundam exchanged a look but before either of them could comment the captain of the ship was hollering orders, causing a cascade of shouting and a flurry of movement. Within moments the anchor chains were rattling aboard and with a lurch that had Winter reaching out to keep Natalie from being thrown from her feet, the ship began to raise itself from the water. “A true Sky Ship,” Rele murmured.

Ropes slid themselves around the waists of Kesshō, Natalie, Rele and Winter, tying themselves securely and unraveling until they reached the main mast, where their other ends attached to equally secure knots. The four girls took the hint and stayed away from the rails, doing their best to stay out of the crew’s way. Claw, for her part, was standing next to Kestrel at the wheel, waiting until the ship was well out of danger of clipping any of the masts of the docked ships to give her a heading; due north. The evening wind snapped into the sails and the ship took on a steady rocking motion, though it wasn’t nearly as pronounced as it would have been if they had been sailing through the ocean’s waves.

“What now?” Kesshō wanted to know, looking around.

“I am going to retire,” Rele said, tapping the rope around her waist with a soft sigh. With an almost reluctant air it unwound, curling itself into a coil near the main mast. “It has been a very long day and tomorrow promises to be longer, yet. Winter–”

The Royal Knight looked back from where she was making her way up to the forecastle. “Yes, Princess?”

The young lady contemplated her gundam guardian for a few moments before nodding slightly. “Make sure Claw does not wear herself out. You are not to do so either, understand?”

“Yes, Princess,” Winter said, turning back to bow. As soon as Rele was below decks, however, the ice mage was up on the bow-spit, her blood-red cape curling around her from the wind’s push. Kesshō and Natalie exchanged glances, Natalie shrugged and they both followed Winter, not really wanting to listen to Claw interrogate her niece about how Falcon and Peregrine had never mentioned having had children, much less a daughter old enough to captain one of the last remaining Sky Ships.

There was a small platform which held the spirit sail, its rigging and its shrouds at the tip of the bow-spit and it was there Winter stood, hands folded behind her back, expression sour. Settling cross-legged across from each other and behind the Knight Gundam, girl and ryuu gundam watched the Royal Knight until she turned on them, scowling. “I appear not to have made my intention clear enough. Must I go to the crow’s nest to have a moment’s peace?”

“We’d follow you there, too,” Natalie said, “or I would. What’s wrong, Winter? I mean, besides Zero being gone.”

“Fang said you were upset before you found out he’d disappeared,” Kesshō put in, leaning back on her claws as far as the space would allow. Though Natalie was wearing warmer clothes than usual, the ryuu gundam had stuck to her customary jacket and shorts, the colder temperatures not bothering her thanks to her affinity with water and her structure. “And you’re moodier than I’ve ever seen you.” Suddenly, her blue eyes went wide and shot to Winter’s torso. “Are you pregnant?!”

Caught entirely off guard and completely unprepared for such a question, The Knight of Silent Frost was left gaping. “I– That’s– I mean– _No_!” She stammered, shooting Natalie a glare for collapsing into giggles. Taking a deep breath to calm herself as much as she could, she ended up exhaling in a huff. “Knight Gundams can not _get_ pregnant, Kesshō! We simply do not have the same physical make up as humans or Musha, even ryuu!”

Finding her two companions staring at her curiously, Winter blushed sharply. “Then where do baby Knights come from?” Natalie asked, blonde head slightly tilted.

“The Spirit Tree,” Winter replied instantly. “Spirit Eggs come from the Fountain of Life and scatter across the land. Some become Spirits, others become Knight Gundams.”

“But what about when you and Zero want to have kids?” Kesshō demanded, sitting up straight. Instantly Winter’s sour mood returned and her expression darkened.

“We do not,” she said. “Two Knight Gundams who are sworn to each other generally consider each other family enough. If they find a young Knight Gundam who shares something with them, beit world-view, affinity or merely affection, they would sponsor that youngster through the training, become their mentor.”

Belatedly, Winter realized that her tone had been little more than a snap and she flushed again, lowering her head slightly. “I apologize for my manner, to both of you. You deserve none of it. Zero and I … we … argued. Badly. Just before he left for NeoTopia. We both said … many things, which neither of us … they were regrettable. On both our parts.”

“Oh _Winter_ ,” Kesshō said, leaping to her feet and darting forward to wrap her arms around the taller Knight Gundam. Though startled, Winter eventually awkwardly returned the hug. “We’ll get him back,” she said with confidence. “You guys’ll apologize and everything’ll be just fine. You’ll see!”

“Kesshō…” Winter gently eased the ryuu gundam away, not meeting her earnest gaze. “I have not yet decided if I wish to forgive him.”

**

Though the _Sparrow’s Pride_ was not as fast as the _Swallow’s Rest_ , she was still a Sky Ship and so moved northward along the coast with more speed than any other transportation in Lacroa or the Pirate Isles could match. Even with this advantage, it took two days to reach Lacroa’s northern most border, during which Winter spent most of her time on the bow-spit. After the Knight Gundam’s startling revelation, Kesshō and Natalie made a pact never to leave the Royal Knight alone, the two playing quiet games on the forecastle or simply sharing their lives during the long hours of Winter’s silent brooding, becoming fast friends.

The feeling of the ship descending toward the water startled the Knight of Silent Frost out of her trance and just before he ship-of-war rocked back so it’s bow was higher than the aft castle she reached out to grab part of the rigging to keep her balance. The great ship hit the water directly on a well-armored bit of the hull designed for such water landings. Winter let go of one of the ropes and turned to look at the aft castle, spotting Claw pacing in a tight circle with a short, frustrated stride.

Glancing down at the forecastle the Royal Knight spotted Kesshō and Natalie gazing with wide eyes up at the cat-gundam so made her way down, carefully balancing against the more prominent rocking of the ship in the ocean. She stopped between and just behind the ryuu gundam and young human, nodding to both of them when they noticed her. “What has happened?”

“Claw lost the trace,” Kesshō supplied, toying with the hem on her jacket absently. “She had Captain Kestrel bring the ship down to see if she could find it better down here–”

“But she can’t,” Natalie interrupted, keeping her voice down. “She’s also saying something about a bad taste but I can hardly understand her. It’s like she’s talking in some weird language.”

“She is speaking Pirate Cant,” Winter told them, “the native tongue of the Pirate Isles. Go find packs and gather food, water and warm clothing, suitable for blizzards. Princess Natalie, get your sword. Both of you pack lightly but leave nothing behind we may need if we were to leave the ship.”

Bewildered but agreeable, the two headed below decks. Winter continued on her way toward the aftcastle, climbing the stairs easily and arriving at the same time Princess Rele did. Claw, though she noticed both of them, continued to spit curses and snarls, moving her hands through the gestures for the Hunting spell savagely. “This be why y’be wantin’ that blighter Fang t’be doin’ this, Princess!” She growled, slashing her hands through the runes in the air to dissipate them. “Trace be gone an’ I ain’t able t’use but basic Hunt magic. Bloody thing warped from what all’s right’n proper, then up’n vanished!”

“Warped how?” Rele asked, watching Claw patiently. The Smoke Knight lifted her hands in a gesture of helplessness.

“Ain’t able t’explain it t’one as not seen it a’fore,” she said, a ring of sincerity in her tone. “It be there, it changed, it vanished.”

“Flavor, scent or color?” Winter asked quietly, drawing the cat-gundam’s attention to her. “What is it most like? Zero once described magic as having colors.”

“Aye,” Claw said slowly, expression turning thoughtful. “Aye, suppose that be true. T’was blue w’a core a’red, subtle, like. Hit a splash a’…purple, green an’ red edges. Wouldn’t want t’see that magic again, certain.”

“Why not?” Princess Rele asked, a strange look coming to her eyes.

“It be dark, Princess,” Claw said finally, frowning. “Back when me’n Fang first got t’Lacroa, there was traces like this, pockets hidden in caves’n whatnot. Ain’t any left now–”

“Captain Kestrel,” Winter said abruptly, rounding on the startled Pirate Captain with an icy authority to her voice, “you will be compensated for your time but it is no longer safe for you or your crew to accompany us. Turn this ship around, take Princess Rele back to Lacroa and report what we found to Fang and only Fang.” At this point, Winter turned to Princess Rele, a fire burning in her starkly pale eyes. “Princess, my apologies but for your own safety I cannot allow you to continue on with the search. We have defied the royal order of your parents for too long already. Return to Lacroa and await our return. Claw, come with me.”

Not waiting for a response from any of those she had just addressed, Winter bowed to Princess Rele and turned to cross the poop deck toward the stairs. She couldn’t help her shoulders hunching: she had never attempted to give orders to anyone but those who were obviously under her authority before and her stomach was churning with unease. Not to mention that the majority of her mind was screaming at her that she was committing treason by trying to order, of all people, Princess Rele, around. _I am the highest ranking Royal Knight here,_ she brutally reminded herself, hands clenched at her sides. _I am well within my authority–_

“Halt.”

It was almost painful to keep walking. It was just as difficult to ignore the hurt and anger in the Princess’ voice so Winter was completely unprepared for Rele’s hand to land gently on her shoulder. It was all she could do to keep herself from falling to her knees and begging for forgiveness.

“Winter,” Rele said softly, pulling her guardian to a stop simply because Winter could only go so far with disobeying her beloved Princess, “you have been on edge this entire voyage, beyond what a simple argument with Zero would cause. I would know, I’ve seen you argue with Zero before. What’s out there? What do you know?”

“Please, Princess,” Winter pleaded, her voice barely over a whisper. “Go back to Lacroa. Allow us to finish this without further involvement from you. I would not see you hurt…in any way.”

“You know what’s ahead,” Rele said, walking around and pulling Winter’s chin up until she was able to look the Royal Knight in the eye.

“I have never faced this particular foe,” Winter said, her voice rasping more than usual.

“Then how can you be sure–” Rele began, stopping when Winter pulled her chin free and took three steps forward, her expression twisting.

“Crow damn us all,” the ice mage hissed, her pale eyes fixed on a bright yellow light steadily making its way closer to _Sparrow’s Pride_. Everyone who knew the Knight stared at her: Winter almost never swore, doing so even less than she used contractions. Only when she was extremely upset did her language degrade.

“Object approachin’ the ship, Cap’n!” One of the crew cried. “Looks like a–”

“It is the Gryphon,” Winter rasped, fists clenched. “The sacred summon-beast Gryphon, high-ranked spirit of Lacroa, though I would give my _life_ that it were not.”

“The Sacred Gryphon is your partner,” Rele objected, frowning. “Isn’t he?”

“The Gryphon is a wild chaotic spirit,” Winter spat, her voice almost a growl. “The last time we melded, if you could call it such, he took me over, mind and body. That is not what I would call a _partnership_. His arrival only brings foul tidings, particularly as he is alone, without the Feather Dragon.”

 _Our adversary has imprisoned Fenn the same as Zero,_ a voice said in both of their minds. Qurn landed gracefully on the railing of the Sparrow’s Pride, a bright golden glow fading from his feathers and fluff until he looked like nothing more than an oddly shaped house-cat. He sat and wrapped his tail around his feet primly, bright red eyes fixed on Winter. _I am here to assist in the rescue effort. Winter, if you really throw that at me, I will bite you._

Rele turned and gave Winter a hard look, forcing the Knight of Silent Frost to let the ball of ice she had conjured dissipate back into nothingness. “Princess,” she protested, “surely you can see that the Gryphon’s arrival means this journey is far too perilous to risk!”

“You would risk Natalie’s life and not mine?” Rele asked, giving Winter another admonishing look. The Royal Knight’s shoulders hunched again.

“From what I know of him, she is of no concern to this particular enemy. You are.”

Princess Relejimana fixed Winter with a stare that, after a few moments, had the Royal Knight on one knee, head bowed. “I will not run from him,” Rele said softly. “He ruined Lacroa for me, Winter. Because he wanted no more and no less than me. How he survived I do not know but he once took everything save the one person I could protect…and now he has taken that one person. Deathscythe will learn that I am no longer a defenseless child.”


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to their very structure, it was difficult to tell when a Knight Gundam was tired. Their eyes were surrounded by darkness already, making it impossible to see if a gundam had dark circles under their eyes. The rest of their faces were hidden by masks, also hiding things such as lines or haggard expressions. However, without regular rest, their armor would refuse to polish past a certain point and their joints would begin to creak and catch at odd moments. Zero, the Winged Knight, Leader of the Royal Knights, Savior and Champion of Lacroa didn’t have to look in a mirror to know that his exhaustion was beginning to be obvious. Not only his appearance was at stake, though the decay was embarrassing enough for someone who held their own elegance in such high regard. His focus, temper and speech were beginning to be affected; twice in the last week he had found himself late for duty and more than once he had snapped at someone who hadn’t deserved any part of his degrading temper.

His temper was eroded to such a sharp edge activities which he usually enjoyed now annoyed him to no end. Particularly his banter and light-hearted arguments with Winter. It was this annoyance, the underlying simmering bitterness that lack of sleep caused, which had prompted the most furious fight the two had ever engaged in. This pointless and seemingly endless frustration that had him slamming from the room they shared, tossing insults he didn’t want to remember now over his shoulder on his way to the portal room. This anger blinded him to the fact that the portal room, typically manned at all times by trusted Knights, was empty. The fact that the portal itself was not its usual shape. He strode through it without looking and when he ended up, utterly bewildered, at the edge of a precipice overlooking nothing but an endless mountain range covered in snow and under a threateningly black sky, was caught completely flat-footed.

The abrupt drop in temperature momentarily focused him and he called on his sword and shield, doing his best to figure out what had gone wrong with the portal.

Sudden movement from behind him had the Buster Sword in his hand and locked against Captain’s v-rod quarterstaff, his own furious blue eyes locked with the calm blue of one of his oldest friends. Stumbling back almost sent him off the cliff and only a lucky grab from a badly shivering Bakunetsumaru and the hasty activation of his flight booster had saved him.

“You look tired,” had been Baku’s only comment.

“I am,” had been his snapping reply.

“The original gang, back together,” Shute joked, trying to lighten the mood and stave off the impending argument between Knight and Musha. “It’s been what, two years?”

“It’s good to see you all,” Captain offered, a smile in his voice. “We should get Shute and Bakunetsumaru out of this wind.”

“Does anyone know where we are?” Asked Shute, wrapping his SDG uniform jacket more tightly around himself in an effort to stave off the howling wind. The assembled gundams were forced to shake their heads, one by one.

“We are near enough to Lacroa that I am still able to feel its magic,” Zero said, trying to keep the acrid bite from his tone. From the stares of the others around him he didn’t succeed.

“Something is obviously wrong,” Shute said, watching Zero with worried green eyes. “What’s up, Zero?”

“Let us get out of this weather,” Zero replied, avoiding their gazes.

Together the four of them had made their way down the mountain as carefully as they could, all of them helping Shute as the young man’s limbs, barely protected by his light clothing, became numb and clumsy with the cold. It took them close to two hours but they finally found a place to shelter, one which Bakunetsumaru helpfully used his connection with fire to bring warmth into by drawing flames down onto a small pile of wood found in one corner.

“The Chief will realize we are missing, soon,” Captain said, calm confidence in his voice.

“But how will he find us?” Baku wanted to know. “We don’t even know where we are!”

“I have a homing beacon,” Captain said.

“Fang will find us,” Zero said, having, for the moment, mastered his temper. “The Knight of the Hunt will not let us down.”

Before anything could be discussed further, Captain turned toward the mouth of the cave. “My sensors are detecting movement,” he said.

The attack came before any of them could do more than turn. Captain flipped Shute his beam saber and the four of them stood back to back, hopelessly surrounded by Pawn Leos. Glad to finally have some way to vent the anger burning like so much acid in his body, Zero launched himself forward with a cry, using his sword work and shield work to the best ability his tired limbs would allow. When the minions of the enemy kept coming, however, dozens at a time, he began to fall back to fight with the other members of the Gundam Force, at first determined, then desperate, to find a way to escape.

Bakunetsumaru saw the opening before Zero did and shoved his best friend through it and into the open air. “Go!” The Samurai cried, “go, now, Zero!”

“Escape,” Captain said, shoving back a block of the Pawn Leos. “Leave this to us. Go, get the others.”

“We’ll be fine!” Shute chimed in, knocking three of the Pawn Leos back into their original dice forms. “Get outta here and come back with help!”

The words echoed in Zero’s mind and he froze. “No!” He cried, diving forward. A cloaked figure which he could only see the ruby red eyes of slid in front of him and he recoiled, unable to get his shield up in time to block the blow which sent him spiraling into darkness.

 

**

 

The gundam with crimson eyes felt a presence behind him and turned to see, not Iswyn as he half expected, but another gundam like himself. Wearing a dark brown cloak wrapped securely around him, only one battered and cracked arm was exposed, cloth covering everything else save his intense ocean-blue eyes.

“Come to see our wayward brother returned at last?” The gundam with crimson eyes asked his fellow, both of them gazing down at the prone form of Zero, the Winged Knight. The ocean-eyed gundam said not a word, simply gesturing to the other still figures in the icy cave. A nod came from the red-eyed gundam. “His allies, brought from afar.” His tone was mocking. “They’re his brothers, now. Even the human.”

The brown-cloaked gundam gave his companion a flat look, his eyes saying volumes. The black-cloaked gundam with garnet eyes held up his hands in a placating gesture. “You know I didn’t mean it that way, don’t give me that look. Come on, the Musha and the human are headed for the Tower, the construct for the dungeon. Deathscythe wants Zero.”

 

**

 

With his back against a wall, the wind didn’t seem so bad. He knew he had to get up soon, before the cold sapped all the strength from his limbs. He also knew that unless the blizzard abated in the next half an hour, he didn’t stand a chance of reaching the outer edges of his father’s land, much less getting all the way to Lacroa. Choking down his last bit of bread and chasing it with the last of the water from the canteen which he had kept close to his body to prevent the water inside from freezing, the young man carefully wrapped his protective clothing back around himself and forced himself to his feet.

Someone was waiting for him, after all. Someone important. Together they would make their way to Lacroa and his companion would be all the proof he needed that the experiments his grandfather had been banished for had been continued by his father, with even greater ambition.Determination was the only warmth he had and its strength quickly waned in the face of the harsh storm. The little light which had leaked through the storm clouds from the sun vanished, leaving the young man floundering in the dark. The temperature plummeted, numbing his mind and limbs to the cold.

He never saw whatever it was he tripped over. It could have been an old, dead plant, it could have been a rock. He tumbled head-first down an incline, the wind catching his flailing body and propelling him farther in a frenzied few moments than he had managed to travel in the last hour of his walk. When the storm, wind and gravity finally released their grips on him, he lay face-down in the snow, feeling startlingly warm. A small part of his mind screamed at him to get up– he was beginning to freeze to death. The rest of him simply enjoyed the unexplained warmth and slipped into a gentle sleep…


	6. Chapter 6

The sleep was long, without dreams and deeply restful. Zero woke feeling, for the first time in months, refreshed and in a pleasant mood.

Until, that is, rock ground against the armor of his back and his eyes shot open, his mind registering two profoundly wrong details. The first: he was laying on rock and could only see a jagged ceiling of rock overhead. The second: for the armor of his back to grind against anything, his cape was either bunched up behind his neck or missing. A quick examination proved it to be the latter which instantly clued Zero into the fact that he couldn’t feel the mana stream. That crucially important detail fixed prominently in his mind, the leader of the Royal Knights of Lacroa sat up, looking around carefully to gauge his surroundings.

He was sitting in a six foot by eight foot cell, an almost claustrophobicly confining space for a human and only slightly less so for a gundam. As a wind-mage, it was almost maddeningly small: Zero had no love of small, tight places, particularly ones made of stone. The wall to his right was a continuation of the stone overhead and below him with only a small ridge too high for him to reach as any kind of decoration. In front of him and to his left were bars, far enough apart for him to get an arm through, not far enough apart for the rest of him. He knew without touching them that they were made of gundanium. Another cell, identical to his and shrouded in shadows, was on the other side of the bars to his left. Ten feet away from the front bars of his cell were another set of cells, also identical to his. The only light provided was coming from two faint and flickering points in the ceiling of the walkway between the two sets of cells. The rock walls prevented Zero from being able to see much else. Without the Buster Sword and with no way to call it, he was completely trapped.

The only thing in his surroundings which even remotely cheered him was the fact that in the cell across from his he could see a leg and part of an arm that he immediately knew belonged to Captain. The limbs were unmoving, however, proving that the soldier gundam was either offline or asleep. Zero preferred the second option.

_Stupid,_ he berated himself. _Trapped, no way to get to the others, no way of knowing where they are. Why didn’t I leave when I had the chance? You are a fool, Zero!_

Settling back against the stone wall with his wrists on his drawn up knees, Zero gazed blankly into the seemingly empty cell next to his own and began searching deep within for any trace of his connection with the Mana of the universe.

“Zero?”

Captain’s voice split the silence and Zero jumped, looking over quickly to make sure it hadn’t been his imagination. Captain was standing in his cell, his hands on the gundanium bars, intense blue eyes fixed on the Winged Knight. The Royal Knight breathed a silent sigh of relief, noting absently that his friend had not changed much in the last eight years, though there was a depth to his blue eyes that had been absent before. Zero didn’t bother to look down at his own scuffed and scored armor; he could feel the grime covering him and knew he was a mess.

“I am whole, Captain,” Zero said, though he didn’t stand just yet. “Are you?”

“I appear to be mostly functional,” Captain replied, drawing his hands from the bars to flex them gently. “But my sensors do not appear to be working beyond basic visual and audio ranges. I can’t tell where we are or if Shute and Bakuentsumaru are nearby.”

“I don’t know where we are, either,” Zero agreed, “and I cannot access my magic. It feels almost like the Dark Hole in Lacroa.”

“My sensors worked, there,” Captain said, his gaze never leaving Zero. The Winged Knight shifted uneasily, not entirely knowing why he was so uncomfortable with the soldier’s scrutiny.

“Yes?” The Winged Knight asked when it became obvious that Captain was not going to speak his mind without Zero prompting him.

“You had a chance to escape.”

“I will not leave my comrades behind to face a destiny I am not willing to share, Captain.” Inwardly, Knight Gundam winced: his voice had been sharper than intended.

“It would have been the logical thing to do, Zero. If you had escaped others would know we had been captured by Pawn Leos. As it is, they will have no information on where we are or who has taken us. It will delay our rescue significantly.”

The cool and neutral statement, with no undercurrents of resentment or reproach, got under Zero’s armor far more than Captain had obviously intended. Had Zero’s glare held the power of his self-blame, the floor would have caught on fire. “I will not leave anyone who is in danger behind ever again,” Zero found himself saying, his voice a dark snarl. Instead of drawing back or becoming angry at the statement, Captain merely watched his friend.

“I see.” A silence grew between them, not even the drip of water to break it. The stone surrounding them muffled all sound from the outside world. “This situation was in no way similar to your exile from Lacroa ten years ago, however,” Captain continued, his voice calm and level. Zero found himself flinching back physically and mentally. “You had no allies to gather, in that situation. Had you escaped now, you could have alerted the Royal Guard and the SDG.” Captain’s head shifted slightly in a movement that was almost a tilt. “And none of us–”

“Please do not say it,” Zero interrupted, his voice soft. “I am well aware that the Gundam Force is made of noble and honest gun-souls who would die before turning traitor. But I believed the same of the Royal Knights, at the time. In the cave, I did not hear you, Shute and Bakunetsumaru telling me to leave. I could only hear Rock, Battle and Nataku assuring me they would be able to hold off the Dark Axis while I got the Princess to safety.”

“I’m sorry,” Captain said, startling Zero again. The Knight Gundam lifted his head to look over at his friend, seeing true compassion in his gaze. “When Professor Gerbera revealed to me who he was, I didn’t understand at the time what I felt. But later I realized that I felt betrayed, that a gundam from the SDG could turn against us. And I realized how much worse it would have been for you, finding Deathscythe had been Deed.”

“You understand, then?” Zero asked, reaching to grasp one of the bars out of the need for something solid to hold onto. “You understand how I could not leave my friends to an unknown fate?”

“I understand how the memory of betrayal could have such an overwhelming hold on you,” Captain replied with a slight nod. “Even after all these years.”

“It has been nigh a decade since that fateful day,” Zero agreed, “I wonder, sometimes, if the sting of the wound will ever fade.”

“I don’t know,” Captain said, “that is beyond my understanding and experience. But Zero, if you get another chance to escape, you must take it. I am sure Bakunetsumaru and Shute would agree.”

The relief of being understood and not blamed that had been washing through Zero vanished. Anger briefly burned in its place, followed by the acid bite of despair. “Captain, no,” he began, unable to get the helpless notes from his voice, “I will not leave you to die!”

“There is nothing to indicate that any of our lives are in danger,” Captain pointed out.

“Do not ask me to do this, Captain!” Zero said, charging to his feet, his electric blue eyes fixed on the soldier gundam across from him. “Any other request I would honor, any other task I would gladly do. But not this. Never again will I leave noble comrades–”

“What happened was tragic,” Captain interrupted. “But the force with which this memory controls you could be deadly. To all of us.”

Unable to help himself, Zero took two steps back, eyes small in shock and fear. He shook his head, trying desperately to come up with something to say which would refute the words he knew where the truth. Captain’s intent gaze never left his own until he dropped his head, discomforted.

“You did not betray them,” Captain said softly, “Deed betrayed all of you.”


	7. Chapter 7

The stalemate between Princess Relejimana and Winter had broken when sudden winds from the frozen north slammed into the ship. Knowing that in the storm which seemed to be brewing that the sea was just as dangerous as the air, Kestrel and her crew expertly guided _Sparrow’s Pride_ into the lee of a nearby mountain for protection. Once the ship was secure, Rele requested, in a way that all involved knew it wasn’t a request, that Winter tell them all everything she knew. The Royal Knight was comfortable out on the deck but few others were, moving the conversation to the large stateroom the Sky Ship had been built with.

“Two years,” Winter began, standing in a military at ease posture in front of the three gundams and two humans, Qurn having made himself at home on Crystal’s lap, “Zero has been having dreams.”

Claw, standing behind Kesshō and keeping a sharp golden optic on the spirit-beast in the Musha-dragon’s lap, glanced at Winter momentarily. Qurn had settled in a cat’s traditional loaf-of-bread pose, his front talons tucked under the rest of his body. Kesshō didn’t seem to quite know what to do with her own claws since the small Gryphon, right now looking like nothing more than a ball of golden fluff with a head, hadn’t asked her approval for his choice of seat. When Winter gave him a sour look, he simply blinked at her, displaying every ounce of a cat’s smugness combined with a raptor’s arrogance.

“They could have been happening before that,” Winter admitted, focusing herself. “At first they came and went; all I did was console him. We all know what Zero has been through– who is to fault him his nightmares?”

“Certainly not I,” Rele murmured, shaking her head slightly. The Princess was sitting primly in a high-backed chair, light blue eyes fixed on the Royal Knight before her.

“We’ve all got dreams,” Claw agreed.

“They began to happen with more frequency,” Winter continued, “and more violence. I caught him attempting to avoid sleep, an ill plan all around. He realized this–”

“Pointed out th’ flaw in his plan, didja?” Claw asked idly, propping her hip against Crystal’s chair. Without asking, she reached down and plucked Qurn from the dragon-Musha’s lap and plopped him on her own shoulder, earning both a grateful look from Kesshō and an irritated one from the Gryphon. The cat-gundam ignored the spirit-beast and winked at Kesshō.

“He realized it himself when he began having difficulty with his duties so he simply resigned himself to the dreams,” Winter said, her gaze dropping to the floor momentarily. “At first they were merely once a week, then more. Soon he was having several a night. I wanted him to go talk to the Sages or the Wise Men.”

“Zero has been reluctant to speak with the Triplets because of what happened to Fenn’s egg,” Rele pointed out. Winter gave her Princess an imploring look, not shifting from her at-ease posture.

“What else was I to do, Princess? I began to fear he would hurt himself, or worse, in his exhaustion! But… I could not bring myself to _force_ him to go. Perhaps I should have.” The Royal Knight let out a soft breath of frustration. “He told me the details of the dreams only once. A fortress in a frozen wasteland. Deathscythe, standing back to back with Deed in a spotlight, everything around them fire and death. Nataku, Rock and Battle standing behind Deathscythe, the Royal Crests of Lacroa on their shoulders and chests ink black. A brown-eyed man whom he did not know holding the palace of Lacroa in his palm and crushing it.” Winter paused, closed her eyes, then forced herself to describe the last image, the one which had upset Zero the most. “Zero himself standing beside Deathscythe, his own crest of Lacroa as black as the others, facing down the rest of the Gundam Force… and me.”

_He should have gone to the Sages,_ was Qurn’s opinion. He stood carefully on Claw’s shoulder and stretched, making use of what little space he had been provided expertly. _Reoccurring dreams, particularly for someone of Zero’s place in the world, are often Prophecy. His stubbornness has caused this situation and may have undone us all._

The Knight of Silent Frost’s calm veneer cracked, her eyes beginning to burn with a cold fire. “And where, pray tell,” she demanded, “where you to tell us thus? Lazing your time away in some garden?”

_I thought you were smart enough to figure it out on your own!_ Qurn shot back, jumping to the floor. _Obviously I was wrong. Or did Zero the Arrogant take Falcon’s nickname of god and his own title of Savior too seriously and think he could handle everything without assistance?_

The temperature in the room abruptly dropped ten degrees and the wood groaned in protest. Winter, the source of the cold, strode forward and grabbed Qurn by a wing, ignoring his startled yelp of pain and Rele’s protest, dragging him from the room. It was clear that the Royal Knight’s temper had well and truly snapped. Everyone involved knew that she would never behave this way normally, her frustration and already strained nerves stripping her of inhibitions and rational thought. “I have had enough of your nay-saying,” she rasped, transferring her grip to his scruff and tail to lift him bodily from the deck and heave him over the rail. “Back whence you came, Spirit Beast! We have no need of you here!”

_Have you forgotten I can fly?_ Qurn asked, after tumbling a short way and getting his wings spread enough to stop his fall. _A useless gesture, stupid Knight._

“I was a fool to ever accept your partnership,” Winter hissed, climbing up on the rail. “But wait, I never did! You forced yourself upon a mind-broken child, Gryphon, and forced me to relinquish control of my body to you! No wonder, considering your previous partnership with Tallgeese was equally tainted! Do you even know how to speak with civilized people? I have seen no example of it so far!”

“Gone off ‘er rocker,” Claw muttered, sprinting across the deck at Rele’s direction to try to calm the Knight of Silent Frost. “Winter! Stop bein’ daft’n get down! This ain’t the time!”

_It’s clear I made a mistake in choosing you,_ Qurn mocked, bringing Winter’s attention back to him. _It’s also clear you were only made a Royal Knight on Zero’s word–_

Winter’s weapons shimmered into being in her hands and she launched herself from the deck railing at Qurn. Claw tried to cast a teleportation spell in an effort to catch the Royal Knight before she plummeted into the clouds below, Qurn locked around her sword, but wasn’t able to finish it in time. Gazing down at the spot gundam and Spirit Beast had disappeared, Claw growled, glancing to the left and the right to see Natalie and Kesshō gazing down as well, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Don’t either a’ you try it,” the cat-gundam snapped. She turned back to face Rele with her arms crossed over her chest. “That’s two Royal Knights gone mad an’ the third bein’ me own brother, so I knew he be mad t’start with. Wha’do we do, Princess?”

“The Gryphon has always been known to be a wild and chaotic Spirit Beast, needing a firm hand to guide him at the best of times,” Rele sighed, “it seems as though he was able to influence Winter into becoming so as well. Even so, I doubt he will let Winter harm either of them.”

“By yer word,” Claw muttered, shaking her head. “I can track ‘em, s’long as we get th’ship groundside.”

“These winds be tearin’ the riggin’ an’ sails apart,” Kestrel said, even as the ship began to carefully descend. “Princess, I can’t be leavin’ the _Pride_ for months, yet, our bond be too fresh. Not for’s long’s you’ll be gone. I can fit ya with provisions an’ warm things for the trek.” She eyed Kesshō, who was still standing in nothing but her jacket and shorts.

“I’m fine,” Kesshō said, smiling slightly. “Cold doesn’t bother me.”

“If y’say so,” Kestrel said with a shrug. She returned her green gaze to Princess Rele. “We’ll weigh anchor, head t’the coast an’ wait for your return there.”

“Wait for five days,” Rele said, giving the captain of the _Sparrow’s Pride_ a faint nod. “Then return to Lacroa and gather what help you can.”

“Aye, Princess.”


	8. Chapter 8

Without the benefit of an internal chronometer or windows to let natural light in, Zero could only guess at how much time had passed since his and Captain’s conversation. The Royal Knight couldn’t bring himself to look at Captain since their conversation, so didn’t know if his friend was still watching him or if he had turned his attention to other matters. The soldier’s words echoed in his mind constantly and Zero was unable to banish them simply because he knew, deep down, that they were true.

It was only due to the profound silence in the dungeon that Zero heard the faint scrape of gundanium on rock at all. His head lifted when it occurred to him that the sound had not come from Captain’s direction, but from the cell to his left, which he had presumed to be empty. Unable to call on his weapon or mana, Zero for once was glad of the unbreakable bars between himself and whatever was moving in the next cell. He knew his prowess at hand-to-hand combat was … lackluster, at best. Something moved in the profound darkness within the next cell and Zero got to his feet, electric blue eyes trying in vain to penetrate the shadows. He briefly glanced across the walkway to Captain’s cell to find the soldier in a recharge cycle, blue eyes dark.

It occurred to the Winged Knight that his mind could be playing tricks on him. _Am I dreaming?_ he wondered. _Surely Captain would come awake if his sensors detected anything odd. If I am dreaming, it is a new one and I am glad for it, unnerving though it may be._

He started back when sage-green eyes appeared in the darkness. A black and white hand framed by a red bracer reached out to grab one of the gundanium bars between Zero’s cell and the next, grasping it loosely. If it weren’t for the eyes being green instead of brown, the Winged Knight would have assumed the hand and arm to belong to Bakunetsumaru. “Hello?” He asked, finding his voice. “Who are you?”

“Are you truly Zero, the Winged Knight?” Came a harsh voice which sounded like it hadn’t been used in years.

“I am,” Zero said, finding himself drawn closer to the bars by something achingly familiar in the low tones. “Who–”

“Who rules Lacroa?” Asked the gundam, who moved no closer. Once again Zero attempted to penetrate the darkness but failed, his eyes merely creating false spots of empty light in the pitch darkness.

“King Zeon,” the Royal Knight said, wary, now. “With Queen Katrina and Princess Relejimana.”

“The Queen?” The rusty voice asked softly, though the question didn’t seem to be aimed at Zero. “But she was lost. He did say something about the Pirate Isles being restored…so it is possible…” A sigh came from the next cell and the hand vanished, followed closely by the sound of armor striking the stone floor.

“Are you all right?” Zero asked, concerned. A soft laugh came from the darkness.

“We are in cells,” the gundam said, his Lacroain accent unmistakable now. “I have not seen the light of day in so long I don’t know what day it is…nor even what _year_ it is.”

“You…are entirely right, of course, my apologies. I merely meant to ask after your health,” Zero said, going to one knee beside the bars. “Your voice sounds very familiar. Are you a Knight?”

“I was,” the stranger said quietly, his voice becoming less hoarse with use. “I was a Knight once.” A scrape of armor against stone and the eyes appeared again, fixed on Zero. “It’s good to have company, though I may be a bit mad, alone down here for so long. I wonder, are you a hallucination, Zero, the Winged Knight? You’re…” another soft laugh. “You’re exactly how I remember you. Earnest, stubborn, loyal to a fault. Noble. A paragon of our Code of Chivalry.”

A chill not brought on by the temperature of the air around him bit into Zero’s core. He was unable to help a shudder as the cold spread from his gunsoul to his fingertips, making him feel focused yet strangely apart from what was going on. The Royal Knight shook his head slightly to try to get the feeling to pass, resting his weight against the gundanium bars separating him from the ghost in the next cell. It was impossible. He had seen the proof himself, in Zeong’s chambers. It was _impossible_.

Wasn’t it?

The sage-green eyes blinked and Zero realized he had been staring at them silently for several moments. He reached out a hand, stretching against the bars as far as he could. “I’m real,” he promised, his own voice now hoarse for a completely different reason. “I am real, I swear it. Take my hand, my friend, please. Take my hand and confirm that neither of us are dreaming.”

The hesitation was brief. A hand was soon clasping his tightly and he choked, bowing his head against a rush of tears. The Winged Knight dropped to both knees, only half hearing Captain’s startled inquiry in the cell across the walkway. Another hand took his and he raised his face, still unable to see more than the two hands and the eyes in the shadows. “You’re shaking. Take a deep breath, calm yourself.”

A laugh built in his chest but faded before he voiced it. Zero took the deep breath as instructed, finding it steadied his trembling hands. “How can this be?” He wanted to know, mentally cursing the bars he had been glad for scarce minutes before. “Deathscythe swore … and I saw, in General Zeong’s … was I wrong? Was he wrong? Have you been here, captured, all this time? Had I but known–!”

“I do not know my own story,” the other Knight said, his voice heavy with regret. “It may be I’ve gone mad with the solitude. I hardly knew my own name, until you said it, before.”

“You are not mad,” Zero said fiercely. “You are a Royal Knight of Lacroa–”

“Not anymore,” the gundam interrupted, shaking his head and letting go of Zero’s hand. “No, Zero. I don’t…I don’t deserve that title. I am not who I was.”

“And I am not who _I_ was,” Zero said softly. “Time changes a gundam. Do honestly you think that matters? You–”

“I failed,” the Knight stated, pulling his other hand from Zero’s grip and retreating back into the darkness.

“No!” Zero strained against the bars, beating one fist against them in helpless fury. “No, my friend, please. Do not give up on yourself! You are a Royal Knight, my noble comrade!”

When no response from the darkness came, Zero again beat his hand against the bars, until it was damaged and sparking. Only then did he sag back, panting slightly, resting his head on the unforgiving and unbending metal. Moments later he was on his feet, examining the two stone walls and two walls made of spaced gundanium bars for any thing he could possibly use to get out of his cell. He was using the join of the lowest horizontal gundanium bar to the rock wall to climb above his normal reach when his eyes met Captain’s and he finally realized that the gundam from NeoTopia had been calling his name, trying to get his attention. “Yes, Captain?” he asked, his fingers searching the stone ledge at the top of his cell.

“Who were you talking to?” Captain asked, relief clear in his tone. Zero briefly wondered how long he had been ignoring his friend in his frenzy to find a means of escape. Captain’s words, however, raised an uncomfortable question and the Winged Knight stilled.

“Could you not see or hear him?” He asked, the thought that the confinement and desperation had caused the hallucination of his long-dead friend turning him cold.

“I could,” Captain said, much to Zero’s comfort. He was about to reply when his fingers struck something sharp and he slipped slightly, startled by the burst of pain. He glanced to his left at Captain, then over his shoulder at the sage green eyes which had reappeared in the darkness of the other cell. Carefully, he reached again for the bit of sharpness and his fingers found a slim piece of metal. He tugged on it and it came free, scraping across the stone. Climbing down, Zero examined his prize in the scant light– a small, thin and rusty shard of metal that could almost be called a knife.

“His name is Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus,” Zero told Captain, striding to the door of his cage to begin to try to pick the lock there. It wasn’t a skill he was well versed in but Fang and Claw had introduced more skills to the Knights after explaining that the less than savory ones could be used for noble purposes. “Royal Knight of Lacroa.”


	9. Chapter 9

Fighting each other as much as they were the pull of gravity, Qurn and Winter plummeted end over end through empty air. Winter almost never used her flight-booster and needed to concentrate to activate it, Qurn’s wings needed to spread wide to try to grab the wind and get some lift. Both of them attempted to arrest their fall but not coordinating their efforts meant that when they hit the snow they were still traveling with enough velocity that it sent them into a tangled and uncontrolled tumble. Together they rolled down the mountain side, both thoroughly dizzied when they slid to an eventual stop. Winter rolled away from Qurn and undid the catches on her helmet, pressing her face and forehead into the snow in an attempt to soothe her rebelling stomach.

_Winter, you need to stand or the cold will kill you._

“Do I?” Winter demanded, pushing herself up on shaky and aching arms. “Do I, now? I be a’ _ice mage_ , stupid! I _like_ the cold! I get sick in th’ heat– which you’d know if you’d fracking _been_ here the last five years!”

 _You must be hurt,_ Qurn said, _or addled. You’re using contractions. In fact, you sound like someone from the Pirate Isles._

“Happens,” the Royal Knight muttered. “When you spend two years living there. This is your fault, you know.”

 _How, pray tell?_ He asked, watching her from where he was sitting primly in the snow, his golden wings tucked tightly against his sides to keep them from billowing open in the wind. _You threw me off the ship!_

“You disappeared!” Winter jabbed a finger in the Gryphon’s direction, getting to her feet and looking around. Snow and ice was in every direction she could see, disfiguring the landscape and making it impossible for her to tell what direction was north. “Without so much as a farewell, Gryphon. Fine way to treat a … whatever we were!” Picking a direction, the Royal Knight began to walk off.

 _The Feather Dragon and I left at the same time. Would you also greet him with anger?_ Qurn wanted to know, following her through the snow.

The ground began to slope upward under her feet and the Knight of Silent Frost mentally cursed the tears in her throat which were already making it difficult to breathe. She took a deep breath, willing herself not to cough. “Fenn explained to Zero where he was going.” Her voice was far breathier than it should have been after such a short climb. “And made sure it was understood he would return should Zero ever need him,” she forged ahead, ignoring how the words rasped from her throat. “You were up’n gone. Like a fart in th’ wind.”

She could see his head jerk back out of the corner of her eye and felt a kind of grim satisfaction at the blank surprise on his face; the spirit-beast obviously hadn’t expected that kind of vulgarity from the Royal Knight. _I am not a fart,_ he said with as much dignity as he could muster.

“Acted like one,” Winter snapped. “What a _fine_ way for such a high-ranked and powerful spirit to behave.”

To her surprise, the words seemed to silence the summon-beast. In the quiet broken only by her panting, the Royal Knight continued to climb, glancing up from time to time to see if she could spot anything other than more clouds overhead. She didn’t dare try her flight booster in the unpredictable winds. They would gust with enough power to drive her to a knee, then topple her forward when she leaned into them and they fell still. After an hour and a half of trudging through the knee-high snow, Winter realized that the clouds above and around them were so thick she had no idea where she was going, or if she was walking in circles. Even as she stood panting snow began swirling past her and the wind noticeably kicked up, snagging in her cape and plastering it to her back in a steady blow.

 _How long are you going to insist on this folly?_ Qurn asked, finally breaking his silence. Not having enough breath to speak at the moment, Winter simply shot him a dirty look and started walking again. _Winter_ , he said, a frown clear in his mind-voice, _stop_. There was a pause, then _please_.

Startled, Winter did stop. But when she drew a slightly deeper breath to speak, it caught in her ruined throat and she started to cough, hard enough that each spasm shook her whole form. Qurn reached over and placed his paw against the shredded metal at her throat, his nares frowning. Warmth soaked out from his talons and Winter found she was able to draw gasping breaths without coughing.

 _You tell everyone that Lodarian did this to you,_ he said, earning a side-long look from Winter as she caught her breath again. _You know full well it was I who scarred you so._ The Spirit Beast paused again. _I could undo it, as a peace offering between us._

“Who is to say I wish to have peace between us?” Winter growled, knowing full well she was behaving very badly. Her behavior had eroded ever since the last fight with Zero and she was at a bit of a loss as to how to stop it. She was beginning to hate herself as much as she was claiming to hate Qurn.

 _You’re a silly, foolish idiot of a gundam,_ Qurn snapped in response. _This has the potential to kill you. Or is your behavior now inspired by some desire to be further punished for something which you do not deserve to be punished for? I know you think your hands are tainted by Talon’s death. He committed suicide by your hand!_

“He is still dead,” Winter pointed out.

_His death served to teach you a very valuable lesson! Do not let him, or anyone else, cripple your abilities!_

Silence fell, ice blue eyes locked with garnet. Snow snaked around them, the blizzard grasping with hungry fingers at he armor and cape. Finally her mask parted and she raised a steady hand to wipe the internal fluids from her lips, carefully cleaning the splatters from the inside of her mask. With her eyes still locked to his, Winter stood, brilliant yellow light shooting out from beneath her feet. The blizzard stilled and the sky cleared, the snow that had been caught in the wind drifting down to land without a sound on the suddenly dazzling snow surrounding gundam and Spirit Beast. “Crippled?” Winter asked, the light gone as quickly as it had come.

Startled, Qurn wheeled, looking up and all around sharply. _You did that?_ he demanded, unable to keep his fur and feathers from fluffing in alarm. Winter simply looked at him. _Of…of course,_ he said after a few moments. _Apparently I misspoke._

“Apparently,” Winter said, her voice bone dry. “Are we quite done? As much as I would normally enjoy this banter, we have both behaved badly enough for the day … for the year, even.”

 _I believe so,_ Qurn said after a thoughtful pause. A golden glow flickered over his feathers and fur, smoothing them into neat compliance against the rising wind. _Any other grievances you may be holding back?_

The Royal Knight also paused, her pale eyes contemplative. “I do not think so,” she allowed. She turned her gaze to the proud and chaotic sacred beast before her, meeting his gaze without flinching. “We are quite the match.”

 _Which is why we are partners,_ the Gryphon replied with a laugh. _Winter, Royal Knight of Silent Frost. I_ am _sorry I left so abruptly. I won’t demean the apology by offering an excuse._

“We have both done and said things we regret,” Winter murmured. “I, in turn, apologize for how I have behaving since you returned, Qurn. My temper was poor before this venture began. Peace?”

 _Peace._ They walked alongside each other for a time, listening to nothing but the wind and the breath rasping through Winter’s destroyed throat. _Winter,_ Qurn said, the Royal Knight surprised to hear a hesitation to the summon beast’s mind-voice. _I was speaking true when I said what I did of your throat–_

“I know.” The two words were almost gentle. The Knight Gundam broke from her formerly straight course to head toward a set of boulders. They were the only shelter either could see and the temperature was beginning to drop once more. Gryphon and gundam stood together in the lee of the rocks, neither breaking the strange silence the roar of the storm brought. Eventually, Winter’s shoulders squared and her chin rose, her gaze focused when she turned to face the spirit beast beside her. “The chip and crack in my mask shall be my reminder, evermore. Heal the damage you wrought so long ago, Gryphon.”

 _And you tease Zero for_ his _flare for the dramatic,_ Qurn gently chided, humor under his mind-voice. Winter showed her appreciation of the joke by giving a soft chuckle. The Gryphon settled back on his haunches to place one foreclaw against the Royal Knight’s shoulder, the other resting against the damage to her throat. The pressure made Winter want to cough but she simply closed her eyes in a gesture of supreme trust, breathing carefully with long practice. _Do not speak until I am finished. I do not wish to destroy your voice._

The spirit beast’s magic soaked into her throat and eased the stinging burn she had felt every time she had inhaled for the last eight years. The Royal Knight could feel the metal straightening and folding in more delicate movements than any mechanic could duplicate. A tap on her shoulder prompted her to take a deep breath, letting her intakes smoothly fill with cool air and she couldn’t help a shudder rippling through her. The exhale caught on a sob of relief. The warmth of his magic faded, leaving only the pressure of his claw against her throat. The pressure eased and disappeared, but the talon resting on her shoulder remained. “Qurn,” she whispered, raising both hands to hesitantly touch her own throat. She only felt a slight ridge where torn and twisted metal had been.

 _I know,_ Qurn said, his mind-voice slightly shaky. Winter reached forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her hands in the feathers and fur between his wings. She could feel him wrap his foreleg around her, the other balanced on the ground. _We were both very young,_ he added, _and were suffering._

“We were,” Winter murmured, carefully feeling out her new voice. It was much lower than it had been once; she would never sing soprano again. The Royal Knight liked it now, though, its dark and silken tones fitted her new life and her new station. “Which is why the Spirit Tree paired us, hoping each would understand the other’s pain. Qurn, I need your help.”

 _You love him,_ Qurn said, earning a guilty look from the Knight of Silent Frost.

“Do I?” Winter wondered, resting her head on the Gryphon’s shoulder. It felt nice to be able to let her guard down; she hadn’t been able to around Zero for weeks.

 _You do._ The statement was firm. _If you didn’t, this falling-out wouldn’t hurt nearly as much as it obviously has. He must have said terrible things. Save me a Royal Knight’s pride, or a female’s pride,_ Qurn went on. _Was how you behaved any better?_

Winter forced herself to focus on her part of the fight, instead of simply circling around what Zero had said like an angry cat. “None of what I said was false,” she said finally. “Which puts a fear in me that he spoke nothing but the truth as well. Old grievances I have held in my heart overlong. But what he said, Qurn… yes, what he said was far worse.”

 _We all have tempers,_ was Qurn’s final opinion. _I’d suggest talking to the Princess about Zero now that yours has calmed. As for us? I think we can now corral each other without insults._

“So long as neither of us are exceptionally stupid,” Winter pointed out with a smile, stepping back and releasing him. “And we do not allow our pride to rule. We understand each other now, yes. We can put salves to the wounds hard living has placed upon our souls.”

 _I believe it is time, Royal Knight of Silent Frost, that we had an equal joining of our abilities,_ the Gryphon said, standing. _Your chill will forge my fire into something truly glorious._

“What was that about dramatics?” Winter teased, closing her eyes once again and tipping her head back. “Yes. This was meant to be.”

Qurn’s soft laughter echoed in her mind, his spirit flowing into her own and surrounding it with a warm comfort similar to yet completely different from how she felt when she was with Zero. The melding was akin to a waltz or a duet than a conquest, the Gryphon’s golden abilities slipping in behind and reinforcing Winter’s ice magics. Qurn had his own wounds which Winter was able to heal, just as he had healed her throat. The wounds were those left behind by Epyon and Tallgeese, by his time spent captive in the Gryphon Shield. By how Deathscythe had trapped him and forced him, stripped of sentience and proper thought, into the control of the mad Knight of the Tempest.

Where before there had been sharp spikes of armor there were now gently contoured talons, sliding into place over the tops of Winter’s feet and providing extra protection with a surprise for any that took the lack of visible weapons as vulnerability. Along her waist was a belt of interwoven armor plates, providing flexible protection for otherwise vulnerable areas. Her chest and back, under her cape, were also now protected by golden interlocking plates, laying atop her normal undecorated armor. Her cape shimmered, its border gaining a purple and gold trim which complimented the armor well. The Gryphon’s claws settled into place over her lower arms and wrists, allowing for free movement while still able to protect on their own.

The large black jewels which had once adorned her shoulders while melded with the Spirit Beast were nowhere to be seen, the armor concentrating on her torso. On her back were Qurn’s wings, golden and magnificent. They both knew the Gryphon’s Lance was not the weapon they would wield; for now, the Spectral Claw attack would be their sole attack until they had a chance to discuss the matter with Princess Relejimana.

Qurn and Winter were soon swiftly winging their way through the storm, a spectral tail appearing beneath her cape and providing stability in the harsh winds. The Gryphon had a spacial awareness which Winter explored curiously, finding that she was able to somehow tell that the others, including Princess Relejimana, had gathered in a cave north of where the pair were, probably to wait out the storm.

 _You have more experience flying than I do,_ Winter murmured, finding she didn’t need to speak to make her opinion clear to him. _Please, take us there._

With a flick of his tail and a sweep of his wings, Qurn had their combined form mastering the winds not unlike Winter had seen Zero do countless times. A pang of trepidation sunk into the bottom of Winter’s stomach and she felt her wingbases contract in response. Their flight wobbled, sending them spiraling briefly into the storm’s grasp. _Be calm,_ Qurn said, _trust him, Winter. He is still alive, somewhere. He has survived worse–_ he paused, hearing her objection before she even formed it into coherent thought. _All right, I don’t know when. But I’m sure he has. He’ll be there for us to rescue. For now, we must gather with the others._

Forcing herself to relax, Winter concentrated on keeping them free of the ice buildup that threatened to throw them to the unforgiving ground below while Qurn bent his attention to keeping the skittering wind under their golden wingspread. At long last they both felt more than saw the spot of welcoming warmth through the icy darkness and dipped toward it, coming to land gracefully at the cave’s mouth. Folding her wings back as best she could, Winter stepped inside, moving carefully around the rock that mostly blocked the entrance.

Silence fell when she stepped into the cave proper, the warmth of the fire her companions had been able to light washing over her in a welcome wave. Princess Rele was the first to rise and cross the ground, her hands outstretched and her expression glad. “Oh, Winter,” she said, “we feared the worst.”

“That’s Winter?” Kesshō questioned, frowning. “What happened?”

“I melded with Qurn,” Winter murmured, taking Rele’s hands to squeeze gently. “Together we are the Knight of the Golden Maelstrom.”

“Glad t’see your pitch off the deck served some purpose,” Claw drawled, giving Winter a dark look. “Near scared Kesshō an’ Natalie t’screamin’.”

“She was worried, too,” Natalie said, climbing to her feet and trotting over to take the hand Winter gently freed from Rele’s to offer her. “Are you okay, now?”

“Better than I have been this voyage so far,” Winter said. “You all have my apologies for my behavior, particularly you, Princess. My mind was in a dark place in which it has not dwelt since I was very young.”

“Argon’s gonna smack you when he hears,” Claw said with a grin. “Welcome back, Lady Knight. Now, gonna banish th’ storm for us so we can be gettin’ on with this rescue?”

“I have already attempted to do so,” Winter said, “though not while melded with Qurn. Perhaps Kesshō would be willing to lend a hand as well?”

Caught by surprise, the ryuu turned a thumb-talon toward her own chest. “Me?” She squeaked. “Uh, no, I mean, I’m not, I’m kinda, ah–”

“You do have ice affinity, do you not?” Winter asked gently, shushing Qurn’s tittering in the back of her mind. _She is like us,_ the Royal Knight told the Gryphon silently. _She needs the encouragement I never got._ “Will you not try?”

“No promises,” the dragon said, climbing to her feet slowly. “I’m not very good at this kinda stuff.”

“Everyone has some skill,” Winter pointed out.

“I’m good at running, mostly,” Kesshō said, twining her claws together behind her back. Claw snorted and seemed about to say something, but Rele, Winter and Natalie all rounded on her and gave her dark looks, startling the cat-gundam to silence.

“Speed and agility are good things to have,” Rele pointed out. “Go with Winter, Kesshō. Perhaps there is some Lacroain spell she knows which can help you further bring out your own abilities.”

Together, dragon and Royal Knight stepped out of the cave and into the storm, disappearing into the howling gale.


	10. Chapter 10

“We are not alone, down here,” Battle said, catching both Zero and Captain’s attention. Soldier and Knight turned to look at the sage green eyes in the darkness, but they were turned toward the cell next to the one Captain was held in.

Both pairs of blue eyes also turned to that cell, finding nothing, at first. Then Zero was able to discern the outline of another gundam, just before that gundam pulled themselves into a tighter ball in the corner they were resting in. “No,” a soft male voice whispered. “Battle, leave me. You heard Zero. My crimes … this place … I deserve it.”

The voice was one which Zero had once held an almost intimate familiarity. Instantly he was back in Lacroa, laughing with the owner, fighting alongside the owner, listening to the owner, his brother-in-arms, tell him to take Princess Rele away, keep her safe–

The Winged Knight’s head snapped up, his eyes veritably glowing with rage. He slammed his shoulder against the to his cell door at the exact same moment that the lock came open and it sprang wide, crashing against the bars of Battle’s cell. The sound alone sent Deed, Knight of the Shining Blade, scrambling back into the deepest corner of his cell that he could manage, aquamarine eyes wide and their pupils pin-pricked in fright.

“Had I my weapons,” Zero said, his voice unrecognizable in his fury, “you would not be among the living, Deed, but in the abyss where you belong. Be warned: yours will be the first life I take when I regain them. Betrayer, I name you, traitor, deceiver, treasonist!”

“Hold.”

Zero turned at Battle’s voice, no longer used to taking orders from the former second-in-command of the Royal Knights. “Has he not told you?” The Winged Knight demanded.

“He has.” Battle’s eyes were pained. “Zero. You cannot tell me that his tale is true! That Deed–”

“It is true.” The new voice was Captain’s, who had been watching everything with his calm and almost impassive gaze. Battle’s gaze moved to the soldier gundam, horrified realization beginning to grow in his expression. “I witnessed Deathscythe’s confession myself, Battle. He helped the Dark Axis invade Lacora and betrayed you to General Zeong. He and Tallgeese are largely responsible for Lacroa’s fall and Zero’s exile.”

“He almost killed our Princess Rele,” Zero added darkly, turning his back on the figure in the cell. He found himself matching gazes with Battle, fists clenched so hard they ached. A moment later he realized that only one of his fists was actually hurting, the one in which he held the sliver of rusted metal. Carefully he eased that hand open, relieved to find it undamaged and knelt, trying to occupy his mind with the difficulties of getting Battle’s cell door opened.

Small things kept distracting him, however, such has the build of the other Knight’s hands. Zero hadn’t seen hands built exactly like his own in close to ten years; each generation of Knight Gundams had a slightly different build. Winter and the Knight Gundams of her generation were built different from Zero, he had been built slightly different than the gundams whom had come before him. When Battle’s hands descended to land on his own as he carefully picked the lock on the cell door, Zero couldn’t help staring at them for a long moment before raising his eyes to meet the sage green ones belonging to the Crimson Knight.

“I’m a reincarnation, Zero,” Battle said softly. “My memories were stolen from me … but your presence seems to be returning some of them. I wanted to ask …”

“Yes?” Zero asked softly, retuning his gaze to his work.

“Your armor. You are in poor shape, beyond what one battle would cause. Is life in Lacroa so hard you don’t have time to care for yourself?”

“Lacroa has its struggles,” Zero said softly. “But no. I have not been resting well of late. There are only three Royal Knights and long duty coupled with nightmares–” the Winged Knight glanced back at Deed, finding the other Knight Gundam watching with a hunger in his aquamarine eyes. Zero’s own electric blue eyes hardened and Deed dropped his gaze, retreating back into the shadows of his cell. “Of betrayal and violence.”

 

**

 

The ruby-eyed gundam was watching the goings-on in the cell block via a monitor in du Bennr’s lab. Deathscythe stood beside and behind him, his armor still battered and broken. The garnet eyes of the gundam under the black cloak fell on the damage and he gave a private smile, hidden by his mask. On the other side of Deathscythe stood the gundam with ocean-blue eyes, the hood of his brown cloak pulled even farther forward than the one covering the red-eyed gundam, hiding his form from any possible stray particle of light. The two cloaked gundams exchanged a glance, sharing a moment of camaraderie which Deathscythe was utterly oblivious to.

“His gunsoul is full of hatred,” the ruby-eyed gundam murmured. “He should be ready.”

“Not yet,” Deathscythe said, rubbing newly welded cracks on one arm. “Not just yet. He must feel more than hate to be ready for the machine.”

 

**

 

Captain’s door came open and the soldier stepped out, looking up and down the hallway quietly. Battle approached and offered the gundam from NeoTopia a proper bow. In return, Captain offered his hand, like Shute had shown him so long ago. “I am pleased to meet you, Battle.”

Battle took it with a soft chuckle. “And I you, Captain. Any gundam whom has shown Zero, and Lacroa, such good friendship is a friend of mine. How long have you known him?”

“It was NeoTopia I was banished to,” Zero said, standing behind them with his back to Deed’s still-locked cell. “Captain met me two years after that.”

“And what of your life, Zero?” Battle wanted to know, turning to him. “Has it only been battle and glory or have you made time for gentler things?”

“He and Winter got together two years ago,” Captain put in, smiling. Zero blushed faintly to hear the telling of his relationship with Winter so blatantly. “She is a Royal Knight and will likely be part of the rescue effort, when it comes.”

When Zero didn’t chime in, like Captain obviously expected, the soldier gundam turned with a curious look for his long-time friend. “I doubt that,” Zero said, his head bowed and blush gone. “I doubt that, very much.”

“Why?” Both Captain and Battle asked, equally puzzled. “Winter loves you very much,” Captain continued, “is there a reason she wouldn’t come?”

“There was true hate in her words, last we spoke,” Zero said, his voice heavy. “The nightmares impeded my judgment … she was only trying to help me and I insulted her for it.”

 

**

 

Deathscythe smiled, leaning back. “Now he is ready,” he told his companions, “despair and hopelessness eat at his heart where hatred doesn’t occupy it. Go, Nataku, Rock. Ready the machine for Zero. We will be one Knight stronger before this day is done.”

Clad in cloaks as they were, both Knight Gundams melted back into the darkness after bowing to their master. Alone, Deathscythe made a gesture and his scythe appeared in his hand. Reaching out, he began murmuring quiet spells, writing ruins on the air before him. The runes glowed with heavy dark-mana, dark purple edged in blood red. “Come join us, Zero,” he whispered, “be one with your true family again.”

 

**

 

In the dungeon, Zero shuddered and went to one knee, the shard of metal clattering from his fingers to the stone floor. He gasped, wrapping both arms around his middle and closing his eyes tightly.

“Zero!” Deed cried, knowing instantly what was happening but unable to get to the Winged Knight past the bars of his cell. “Zero, fight it! Captain, Battle, help him, please!”

Soldier and Knight whipped around in time to see Zero flicker in and out of existence. By the time they had taken two steps forward to try to help the Winged Knight, he had vanished.

 

**

 

The intense pain in his torso subsided as suddenly as it had come and Zero straightened, preparing to tell his friends that he was all right. The words died in his throat when he saw he was no longer standing with Captain and Battle in the dungeon. He was in another cell, but this one was much smaller, barely large enough for him to be able to turn around in. More cage than cell, he realized, looking beyond the bars to see two cloaked figures and something which chilled him to the core. “How can this be?” he gasped, hands rising to clench the bars of his cage tightly. A quick examination showed them to be made of gundanium, exactly like the ones in the dungeon had been.

“Welcome, Zero!” Deathscythe crowed, giving a nasty laugh. “Behold, brothers, it is our Savior! Zero the Wingless! Zero the Proud, Zero the _Favorite_!”

“Rot in the abyss, Deathscythe,” Zero spat, tugging on the bars despite knowing he wasn’t strong enough to break them. Movement on his back drew his attention to a crucial fact– his cape had returned. Magic was possible in this place.

“Done that,” Deathscythe told him with a cackle. “Thanks to you. Or don’t you remember allowing me to fall to my death?”

“The Steel Dragon deserted you,” Zero pointed out, trying to buy himself enough time to summon his sword and shield. The flow of Mana around him felt strange and twisted, shifting out of his grasp every time he tried to gather enough to be able to cast a spell or call his weapons. “He was the one who let you fall.”

“You made no effort to save me!” Deathscythe snarled. Reaching out with a badly mangled hand, the former Royal Knight tugged on a lever, causing a grinding noise over Zero’s head. Distracted, the Winged Knight looked up to see a device covered in wires and glowing with magical runes he had never seen the like of before descend until it was touching his cage.

“After what you did to the Princess, to Lacroa?!” Zero shouted, returning his attention to the hated form before him. Deathscythe smirked.

“Do you hate me, Zero?” He asked, his voice abruptly calm. His hand hovered over another lever, not touching it yet.

“With all my heart,” Zero found himself snarling. A small voice in the back of his head screamed at him to stop, think about what he was saying.

“Good.” Still smirking, Deathscythe jammed the lever down and Zero’s whole world became nothing but pain.


	11. Chapter 11

“What’s wrong?” Kesshō and Qurn both asked Winter when she stopped outside the cave, standing still and silent in the blizzard. The snow and ice seemed to go out of its way to swirl around her, almost greeting her before moving on. Because they both had asked, the Royal Knight decided to answer aloud.

“I am afraid,” she confided, turning to face Kesshō. “I have worked with the ice magics for all of my life and have yet to master them. My mind fills with doubts.”

 _Doubts Zero put there with his last words to you,_ Qurn said quietly, not waiting for Kesshō to speak with an unconscious display of a cat’s arrogance. _Doubts I put there, with my own words. I’m sorry, Winter. Words can’t be unspoken or unheard._

“I know what that’s like,” Kesshō said, shoving her claws into the pockets of her jacket. “All the other dragons are always getting on me for…everything. But you’re really strong, Winter! And, I mean, look at you! You’re a Royal Knight of Lacroa and Rele totally believes in you. I don’t think Rele’d believe in someone if they weren’t something to believe in, do you?”

“No,” Winter said, looking at the golden claws positioned over each wrist. “No, my Princess does not suffer fools, not for long.”

 _He may act the part from time to time, but Zero is no fool,_ Qurn said. _Fenn believes he truly loves you and Fenn can see into his heart. He–_ The Gryphon faltered and Winter could tell his attention had shifted as easily as though she were looking at him.

“What?” She asked, turning slightly in an unconscious effort to see who she was speaking to. “Qurn, what is it?”

 _Fenn is crying out,_ Qurn said, his voice shaken. _We_ must _hurry to the fortress, Winter! Quickly, back to the cave, Kesshō, tell our Princess that she needs to cast the Floating Disk so we may get everyone moving quickly._

The ryuu vanished back into the cave. Winter lifted a hand to touch one of the claws on her wrists. “Something has happened to Zero,” she said softly in more statement than question. “Fenn knows it.”

 _Fenn may be putting both of them, and all of us, at greater risk trying to reach Zero,_ Qurn said quietly.

Thanks to her connection with Qurn, Winter, Royal Knight of the Golden Maelstrom didn’t need to hear her Princess’ voice to know she had stepped outside. The Knight Gundam turned and cast a protective shield over the young woman, sheltering her from the roaring blizzard. “At your command, Princess,” Winter said, going to one knee before her. Rele placed a hand on Winer’s shoulder, gently pulling her to her feet.

“I learned, in my schooling,” the Princess said, “there was once a family banished to the frozen north at the edges of the land protected by Lacroa. They were exiled from the court when it became known they were performing heinous experiments on robots, gundams and spirits. Not much later they sent a force to attack and their army was killed to the last soldier. It was … a more savage time.”

“What kinds of experiments?” Winter asked, a chill having nothing to do with the temperature clutching her gunsoul.

“I was never told,” Rele replied, gaze distant. “My Royal Mother had a fit when she learned I had been told of it at all. I do know that not long after, a force was sent up to the north. Only half returned and they reported that the others had been killed by the cold. They found no trace of where the army had been sent from before they were forced to turn back.”

“I believe,” Winter said after a moment’s pause, “Deathscythe has found this vanished fortress and the experiments done by the exiled nobles. And that he has just used one on Zero, for Qurn heard Fenn giving a terrible cry.”

Before Winter could draw another breath, Rele cast the Magical Disk and the rest of their party were standing beside her on it. “Lead us,” Rele ordered, her expression and voice determined. Winter made sure the shelter she had cast anchored itself to the disk so it would protect all of them.“Qurn should be able to track Fenn if he’s able to hear him. We cannot afford to wait out this storm.”

“Yes, Princess.”

 

**

 

The amazing thing about the resilience of the mind is that after a time of intense pain, it disassociates and, so long as the pain doesn’t change, is capable of coherent thought. One gets a feeling of floating over the body instead of being one with it, of a kind of disjointed clarity. Zero wasn’t able to speak or move but he was able to notice certain details, such as the awkwardness with which Deathscythe moved and the horrible damage covered by badly done welds spread across his body. It was on par with the damage Zero and Fenn had wrought upon him in their final battle, but certain things had been crudely repaired, allowing the Knight of Darkness to at least have some measure of movement.

He was also able, so long as he didn’t try to move, to hear the conversation Deathscythe was having with the cloaked figures he called Nataku and Rock. The Winged Knight wasn’t able to see past the shadows of their hoods, but the colors of their eyes forced him to believe that the two may very well be his former comrades.

“Why isn’t it working?!” Deathscythe was demanding, glaring at his companions.

“Perhaps it is working in the way it did on me,” Nataku suggested, his crimson eyes shifting between Zero, the screen in front of him and Deathscythe. He matched gazes with Zero for a brief moment. “Or perhaps it’s only killing him.”

“Turn it off,” Deathscythe said after a long pause. “At least we have the benefit of him being in that much pain.”

The absence of pain was almost as bad as the pain itself, it came so suddenly. Zero nearly blacked out, sagging against the bars of his cell and barely standing to breathe; even the feeling of air entering his intakes burned. A hand sent him slamming against the back of the cage, wrenching a groan from him. It was a strange sound, so unlike his usual voice that he barely recognized it as having come from his own chest.

“See?” He heard Deathscythe say. “He lives. Don’t think, Nataku, unless I tell you to.”

Moments later he felt the wrench of the Knight of Darkness’ teleportation spell, then a blissful moment of weightlessness. Captain’s concerned call came after his crash to the cold stone floor of his cell but he couldn’t work up the energy, or the will, to respond.

“Be careful,” he heard Deed say, “if you don’t trust anything else I say, at least trust this. That may not be your Zero, laying there. If Deathscythe put him through the machine–”

“What machine?” Captain wanted to know. Zero could almost see his long-time friend fixing Deed with one of his intense stares even while the world spiraled to darkness and silence around him.

“The machine which stole Battle’s memories … and separated Deathscythe from me.”

 

**

 

It was a time when Captain’s unreadable expression was in his advantage. He regarded Deed quietly, Battle standing between both of them and Zero. The Crimson Knight obviously wanted to go to the Winged Knight, but was pinned in place by the intensity between soldier and Knight Gundam. Battle let his sage-green eyes fall upon the still form of the Royal Knight, noting that there weren’t any new damages to Zero’s body, that he could see. He also noticed that Zero’s scarlet cape had returned and was covering him from shoulders to feet, though it sometimes flickered in and out of existence.

“I had found Deed’s tale hard to believe,” Battle said, finally breaking the silence. “But Zero was … Rock often said he was the best of us. Young, naive, holding his ideals far too dear, never hating another being with which he crossed paths. Dislike and willing to voice his opinions if questioned, yes, but I didn’t think him even _capable_ of this sort of deep and utter loathing. Witnessing it and knowing its source, I understand his motives.” The Crimson Knight turned, fixing his sage-green eyes on the awkward form of Deed. “You two were as brothers. We were family, Deed. How could you do these things?”

“I was mad,” Deed said, his shoulders slumped. “Driven insane by obsession. I remember all of my actions, then, all of my thoughts…but I can’t reconcile them, now. Do you believe I could have redeemed myself, Battle? I don’t. I’m a murderer, I imprisoned three high-ranking Spirit Beasts against their will, I destroyed Lacroa! As soon as my memories surfaced I condemned myself and left Lacroa, searching for a way to make sure my soul did not reincarnate, ever again. In doing so, I fell into the clutches of Iswyn du Bennr and started this chain of events.

“Lord du Bennr was a boy when his father was exiled from Lacroa for performing horrible experiments on gundams and spirits. He put me in a machine which rent my soul in two. One, you see standing here, the disgraced Knight Deed, of the Shining Blade. The other, the self I sought to destroy, Deathscythe, Knight of Darkness.”

“That is why you said it may not be Zero in the cell,” Captain concluded, looking toward where his friend was still laying. “You think Lord du Bennr did the same to him.”

“I know it,” Deed said miserably. “I was the start of it. He forced me to watch while he captured Nataku, Rock and you, Battle, and put you all through the machine. It took your memories. It took something from Nataku which turned his crests black. I don’t know what it took from Rock, but he hasn’t spoken since that day–”

“Nataku and Rock are here?!” Battle demanded, taking swift steps forward and grabbing the front of Deed’s armor. “Where?”

“I don’t know,” Deed confessed, stumbling back. “I don’t know! I’ve been down here as long as you have, Battle!”

Gentle fingers lightly touched Battle’s shoulder and he turned, seeing it was Captain who had gotten his attention. The Crimson Knight nodded slightly and let Deed go, settling himself with a deep breath. “Thank you, Captain. Deed. Into your cell and stay there. Be this Zero our comrade or not, he’s obviously in no shape to be attacking any of us.”

With that, the Knight gundam turned and strode into Zero’s cell, going to one knee beside the still form of the Winged Knight. Gently he rolled Zero over and pillowed the Royal Knight’s head on his own arm, carefully detaching his helmet. The crest of Lacroa on Zero’s brow glowed a reassuring golden just before the Winged Knight’s eyes flickered open.

“I would like,” he sighed, “to not go through that again. I saw Nataku and Rock.”

“And anyone else?” Battle asked, glancing up as Captain entered the cell with the two Knights.

“No,” was Zero’s faint reply. “Nataku and Rock wore cloaks…I could only see their eyes. Naktaku spoke, Rock did not. Deathscythe was badly damaged and badly repaired. He could not move well. We could yet defeat him in battle…”

Battle placed a gentle hand on Zero’s shoulder. “Silly young Knight,” he said, “I didn’t ask you for a debriefing.”

“You can’t call me that, anymore,” Zero said softly, his eyes closing again. “I’m older than you, now. I missed you, Battle. I missed all of my brothers.”

“Rest,” Battle murmured. “You have been grievously injured.”

“I am whole,” Zero objected in a mumble, though his breath steadied in the next moment, signifying his return to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

_Winter,_ Qurn said after what felt like hours of silent flying, _there’s a human._

_There are humans all over,_ Winter pointed out absently, absorbed in the wonder of flight. _We travel with two of them._

_I’m well aware of this,_ Qurn said tolerantly. _This is a different human. Male, down in the blizzard. I doubt he’ll survive alone._

_Shute?!_ Winter demanded, banking into the wind and beginning to lose altitude. Qurn gave a mental headshake.

_No. This one has Lacroa running in his veins._

More sensing the ground than seeing it, Winter came in for a only slightly stumbling landing, folding her wings out of the wind as much as she could. A brief search found the still form, who seemed to have succumbed to the cold despite being dressed for the harsh temperatures. Before she could form the request into a coherent thought, Qurn sent a spike of golden light into the dark sky, bright enough that it could be seen through the raging storm. _That I had some kind of affinity with warmth,_ Winter fretted, beginning to dig the young man out.

_Even I can’t help you there,_ Qurn said. Winter heard a faint call on the wind and looked up to see her companions making their way through the storm toward her, the shield she had cast still in place around them.

_Tell the Princess what we found,_ Winter instructed Qurn. _Your voice does not depend on volume to be heard._

_Impertinent Knight, to order about a sacred spirit_ , Qurn said, but Winter could tell he wasn’t truly irritated. Rele was soon kneeling at Winter’s side, a warm glow radiating from the Princess’ hands. _She’s mostly just removing the ice from his form,_ Qurn explained. _Further healing won’t do much good until we find shelter. She’s worried about the delay in finding Zero and the others but isn’t about to leave the man to die. She understands if you wish to continue on your way alone._

Continuing to dig the snow away from the stranger, Winter didn’t reply until she was done. _My Code of Chivalry is clear, Qurn. I will not leave Princess Rele and I will not leave this man to die, either. I can not help wondering if this delay will mean the lives of my friends but it cannot be avoided._ The Royal Knight gazed down at the still form, helping Rele to move him onto the Floating Disk. _I hope he, whoever he is, is worth this._

_Zero is a survivor,_ Qurn said confidently. _He will be there when we get to him. He may even have freed himself, though that may be too much to hope for._

 

_**_

 

Pulling his cloak more tightly around him, Nataku stepped into the storm and hurried across the courtyard to the huge oaken door barring the entrance to the inner sanctum. There were warmer ways to Lord Iswyn du Bennr’s labs but the former Royal Knight didn’t want to make the long trek through the rows of abandoned experiments just now. With new toys to occupy Lord du Bennr’s attention, Nataku was well aware how close he and Rock were to being banished to cells of their own. The oaken door slammed with the force of the wind behind him, the sound hard on his heels. Climbing ten flights of stairs had him at another wooden door which scraped across the stone when he pulled it open, the noise earning him nothing more than an over-the-shoulder glance from the human within. Throwing back the hood of his black cloak at last, the Bronze Knight strode into a room which would not have been out of place in NeoTopia’s Blanc Base, computer monitors ranging from floor to ceiling.

“Ever a gullible race,” the exiled lord said, his oily brown-gray hair falling to his shoulders in strings, knowing full well the Knight Gundam was standing behind him, “Knight Gundams.”

“We have our uses,” Nataku replied mildly. He felt a strange boldness running through his systems and dared to speak his mind for the first time in his current memory. “Lord du Bennr, your people are dead and your son has no doubt frozen to death in the storm. I must ask, why do you insist on carrying out these insane experiments? Deathscythe is a mad dog and should be put down like one.”

“Mad dogs also have their uses,” the man replied, turning to scowl down at the Knight Gundam.

“What readings did you get from the Winged Knight when he was in your machine?” Nataku wanted to know, well aware that pursuing the topic of Deathscythe was pointless, at the moment.

“Your Winged Knight is older than any gundam I’ve put into that thing,” Iswyn said, turning back to the computer screens. “His personality is sound, his confidence strong. His soul seems indivisible, we wouldn’t get anymore information without killing him.” The exiled lord of Lacroa fell into a brooding silence Nataku knew better than to break. The Bronze Knight waited and, sure enough, Iswyn began to speak again, though on a completely different subject. “I’m much more interested in seeing Deathscythe and Deed in the same room, now. I want to see if their soul destroys itself trying to become whole again.”

“From a distance,” was Nataku’s opinion. “The explosion would probably level the compound.”

“I’ll build another,” Iswyn said, waving a hand dismissively. “Has Deathscythe said anything about remembering what you did to him?”

“Not a word,” Nataku said, settling back on his heels with a satisfied air. “I think that was a success.” The Knight Gundam slammed one fist into the other palm, remembering how good it had felt to take his frustrations out on the other gundam. “And satisfying. I’m more than willing to run through it again, once his new body is ready.”

Iswyn du Bennr laughed, a high-pitched and grating sound which shook his whole body. “Soon enough, my blood-thirsty friend, soon enough!” The man settled in a chair and after tapping a keypad on its right arm, the chair swung him around to another desk and bank of monitors. This one showed mostly static but every now and again a room with shadowy figures in front of a fire could be seen. “The readings from this new Knight Gundam, the one melded with the Spirit Beast, are fascinating. Soon I’ll have enough information to pick up where my grandfather left off in trying to make our own Spirit Beasts.”

“I don’t think I need to say that it was that experiment which got your grandfather exiled,” the Bronze Knight pointed out, trying to figure out who the man was talking about. He stepped closer, staring at the static-filled images intently There were gundams, sure enough, three of them, and two humans, one much smaller than the other. Two of the figures held his attention, one with a crested helm and wings on their back and the other… “That and the soul-splitting. Do you–” the Knight froze, having recognized the face of one of the humans, the larger one, in the static. “Was that the Princess?” He demanded, rounding on the exiled lord with his red eyes blazing.

Nataku went flying across the room, his helm slamming into the rock wall. Iswyn’s punch was followed by a swift kick straight to the torso, his metal-plated boot digging into the gundam’s torso. “You’re the one who compared Deathscythe to a mad dog,” the man spat, watching the gundam gasp for breath on his hands and knees. “All of you Knights are abominations, not machine, not man, not living and still with souls. Not permitted to love like humans do because you’re nothing but constructs! Never forget that, mongrel. And never even think to question me! Get out of my sight.”

Still choking, the Bronze Knight stumbled from the room, sagging against the wall outside. Moving carefully until he was in a sensor shadow, the Knight Gundam clenched both fists, looking down at the black crest of Lacroa on his left shoulder. Though the human didn’t seem to know it, simply seeing his Princess’ face was adding to the stirring of old feelings in the former Royal Knight, old memories of being treated well by the humans around him. Of not having to scrape out a living between insults from a true abomination and a human master who saw him as worse than dirt.

The Bronze Knight was not stupid and had learned from watching Lord du Bennr work his experiments. He knew how the man’s computer system worked and, decision made, turned and strode toward one of the lesser-used labs. He may not have his weapons and his link to the Mana of the Universe may have been severed but Nataku was not without options to help those he had once called brother. Without him noticing, the crest of Lacroa on his shoulders, covered again by the black cloak, slowly began to turn from black to gold.

 

**

 

_Princess Rele requests that we scout ahead to find another shelter,_ Qurn said, just before his wings surged and the two of them were caught by the wind and sent spiraling into the storm. Winter took a deep breath of the frigid air and smiled, cheerful for the first time in a long while despite the circumstances. _You’re welcome,_ Qurn said, seeing her thoughts from the small pocket of her mind he was currently occupying.

_Breathing easily is something so many take for granted,_ Winter mused, taking another deep breath. _I doubt I will, ever again. There, Qurn, are those buildings?_

_Looks like it._

Together they swooped down, making their way carefully through the swirling currents over the buildings, which were obviously Lacroian in build and half buried in snow. Looking more closely, the Royal Knight was able to see most of the windows had been shattered and the doors boarded over, while other buildings had scorch marks and still others were nothing more than walls propped against each other. _A great battle was fought here,_ Winter murmured, coming to a careful landing on the pointed roof of one of the largest buildings. It could have been a lord’s house at one time. _The Princess did say only half of the force sent here returned. It may be that the Royal Family was given false report and the half which did not return was killed by something more sinister than snow._

_Perhaps the young man will know,_ Qurn replied softly. Winter nodded and carefully slid down the roof so she could find a door, tearing the wooden planks barring it closed off and shoving her way inside. When a quick but thorough search revealed the building to be empty and, conveniently, having a hearth, they quickly went to gather their companions. Within a short time everyone was gathered in front of a roaring fire, sharing a meal of bread, fruit and dried meat which Natalie had been carrying in a backpack.

Finally feeling tired, Winter charged Claw with the first watch and settled where she had a clear view of the door before abandoning herself to sleep, wrapped securely in Qurn’s golden wings.

 

**

 

Abruptly, a figure was standing beside Captain, looking as surprised to see him as the soldier was to see Bakuentsumaru. Before Captain could say anything, Baku reached back and gently pulled a battered and bloody Shute from wherever they had come from, a slight _pop_ sounding once the two were fully visible. “See?” Shute said, his tone soft but no less optimistic than usual, “told’ja it’d last, Baku.”

“Sit,” the Blazing Samurai said, an order Shute had no trouble following, easing himself down along one of the stone walls. Captain was instantly at his long-time friend’s side, deep worry in his otherwise expressionless face.

“Shute! What happened?!”

Shute’s face lit into as much of a grin as he could manage with both lips split and one eye swollen shut. “Boy am I glad we found you, pal. Where’s Zero?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Captain replied, frowning. “Shute–”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” the young man scoffed, despite one arm being protectively around his ribs. “That jerk Deathscythe used me as a punching bag for a while. He’s trying to get Rele to come rescue us. Fat chance, Winter and the other Knights would never let her leave Lacroa. Not to mention her parents. Are those Knight Gundams?”

“I don’t think Rele would sit idly by while Zero was missing, possibly in danger,” Baku argued. The conversation had the sound of words gone over many times before. “Much less you, Shute. You know how she feels about you.”

“Bah,” Shute murmured, blushing. “She’s a Princess, I’m just a guy from NeoTopia. Holy cow, Zero!” The last was said when Shute had spotted the Winged Knight, his grass green eyes widening sharply at the condition of his friend. “Is he–?”

“He is alive,” Battle confirmed, still holding the rusty and sharp bit of metal and hovering protectively over the Winged Knight’s form. “Captain, an introduction, please.”

“Of course.” Captain moved forward, sending Deed into a hasty retreat further down the cell block. “This is Shute, Lieutenant of the Super Dimensional Guard and member of the Gundam Force, like Zero and I are.”

“And I am Bakunetsumaru,” Baku interrupted, though his hands were empty and he was unable to write his signature upon the air per usual. “Blazing Samurai of Ark. Who are you?”

“I am Battle,” Battle said, then paused. “I…was once called Knight of the Crimson Lotus and was a Royal Knight, with Zero. Now…I am not sure I have title other than Knight Gundam. The cringing one there is Deed.”

“Deed?!” Both Shute and Baku exclaimed, wheeling on the Knight. “Villain,” Baku spat, “betrayer!”

“I was these things and more,” Deed agreed, his voice soft. “But I am not Deathscythe. If I am allowed, I would do what I can to pay for my crimes.”

“If I had my blades you would be paying for them already!” Baku growled, obviously frustrated at his lack of weapons.

“And gladly,” Deed told him, spreading his hands to show he was defenseless.

“Calm yourself, samurai.”

The faint voice startled them all, including the Musha to whom Zero was speaking. The Winged Knight hadn’t opened his eyes or moved, but the bands on his mask glowed dark blue with each word. “I have laid claim to Deed’s life.”

“You can hardly move.” The Blazing Samurai’s voice was surprisingly gentle. He moved over to kneel next to his long-time friend, looking down at Zero’s battered and grimy form. “And you look horrible. Hardly an elegant Knight of Lacroa at all.”

Battle stiffened at the insults but Zero gave a soft chuckle, raising a hand which Baku grabbed. “At my worst moment, I am far more elegant than you, Bakunetsumaru.”

“But what _happened_ to Zero?” Shute asked again, the eye which wasn’t swollen shut fixed on Battle. The Knight Gundam stood fast under the intense grass-green gaze, meeting it squarely with his own sage-green eyes.

“Deathscythe took him.” Surprisingly, it was Deed who volunteered the information first. Battle gave the other Knight Gundam a hard look. “You would answer differently?” Deed asked of him, “these are the Prophesied Allies From Afar, Battle. The ones Zero was sent to retrieve. Even if Deathscythe hadn’t met them in battle, I would feel it. Can’t you?”

“I don’t know,” Battle said finally, turning away from his once-brother-in-arms. “My memories are scattered… broken. They come in clumps and all on top of each other, without order. I don’t know what I know or what I feel.”

“Peace,” Zero said softly, catching Battle’s attention. Bakunetsumaru had set Zero’s hand on Zero’s chest, making sure the posture was comfortable for the Winged Knight. “Battle, peace. You are my noble comrade and brother-in-arms. So is the Gundam Force. I trust them with the Princess’ life.”

“High praise,” Battle confirmed, his shoulders dropping slightly. “As you wish, Zero. Shute, Deathscythe did take him and put him through the machine which stole my memories and tore Deathscythe from Deed. What it did to Zero, we are still not certain.”

“It did nothing to me,” Zero said with a soft sigh. “I don’t deny the dark. Watching… experiencing what I have… witnessing Kibaomaru’s return to the light … seeing my King able to forgive himself for what he did under the influence of the black Bagu Bagu, watching Winter come to terms with the abuse she suffered and able to forgive … all these things and more led me to realize years ago that denying the dark parts of my own nature would do me more harm than good. Royal Knight, Savior and Champion of Lacroa I may be, but I am hardly perfect–”

Bakunetsumaru gave the slightest of sounds which could have, if it were louder, be called a chuckle. Zero evidently didn’t hear because he kept speaking.

“–but I don’t seek to separate myself from the dark within me. I think this is why the machine didn’t work.”

“Makes sense to me,” Shute agreed, stretching absentmindedly before giving a slight wince and resettling his hand on his sore ribs.

“A paragon of our Code of Chivalry,” Battle murmured, shaking his head slightly. “You’ve grown up, little brother.”

“I had to,” Zero whispered, “I failed my noble comrades, yourself and the others. I was alone … for a very long time.”


	13. Chapter 13

Nataku knew full well that he was taking a risk, one which would probably end his life. _What good is a life,_ he thought, _of nothing but abuse?_ Lord du Bennr was suitably distracted by his projects and his own low opinion of any gundam’s intelligence to notice Nataku in one of the small labs, working long into the night. For every program he had ever seen du Bennr write, he knew that the man’s son had made a vulnerability in. He worked to find these vulnerabilities now, doing what he could to insert false code into the programs. The false code would cause errors and erase data, slowing if not outright destroying the mad lord’s research. By the time Nataku was done he was filled with a strange energy, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders for the first time in years.

Using nothing more than his own memory and malicious intent, the Bronze Knight used his hijacked programs to create doors for the Winged Knight and his allies to escape through, should they be clever enough to find them. As an afterthought, he also turned off the automated defenses of the fortress, increasing the chances that Zero’s rescuers would at least get inside the walls in one piece. _The rest,_ Nataku thought, pulling up the hood of his cloak and leaving the room, _is up to you, Zero. I hope your allies can be trusted, this time around._

 

**

 

“Princess.” Winter’s new voice slid in and around the crackling of the fire and the steady breathing of the sleepers. “You should be resting.”

“I’m all right,” Rele whispered, smiling up at the Knight of the Golden Maelstrom. “Will you sit with me?”

The Royal Knight settled on Rele’s right side, close enough that Qurn’s wing draped over the young lady’s shoulders. Princess Rele took this as an invitation and leaned her shoulder against Winter’s comfortably. “Thank you for tolerating my moods,” Winter murmured, her mask heating slightly. “I was–”

“Worried for Zero,” Rele interrupted gently. “We all have our less than graceful moments.”

“Never you,” Winter said loyally. Rele gave a soft chuckle.

“I’m glad you worked out your differences with the Gryphon,” the Princess murmured, “and that your throat has been healed. It was a source of great worry for me.”

“A lesson I needed to learn in my own time,” Winter replied. “Both of them, really.”

“What did Zero say?”

The question startled Winter even though it shouldn’t have. She turned her pale gaze to the fire and the young man who laid before it, examining his pale features and the single lock of brown hair which could be seen beneath his hood. His color had improved greatly and the fever which had developed shortly after their arrival in the shelter had broken and not returned, thanks to Rele’s healing efforts. “Many things.”

“I feel an awful gossip for prying,” the Princess confessed softly. “But Zero is important to me … you both are. Are the things he said so terrible you cannot forgive him?”

“I do not know if I should,” Winter replied. “I do not want to seem … Zero and I are partners. If I go to him and grant forgiveness based on nothing, I would feel degraded. But I also cannot forget the things I said in response, though they were not nearly so … nasty.”

“How did you forgive my Royal Father?” Rele wanted to know, bringing Winter up sharply.

“I … ” The Royal Knight paused, thinking. “I forgave him based on myself,” she said slowly. “Not based on … it is difficult to explain. I did not forgive his actions, but I forgave him, as a person, knowing people make mistakes.” Winter nodded, following the thought to its conclusion. “I can forgive Zero in this way without demeaning either of us or what we share.”

“There was a dark shadow in Lacroa which infected you both,” Rele sighed, smiling. The firelight reflected in her blue-violet eyes, making them appear to glow. “But now, I feel, you have dispelled it with wisdom. You’ve grown up.”

“No,” Winter said with a playful grin. “I have not. I am in love. There is a difference.”

“Love wouldn’t blind you,” Rele pointed out. “Not you, Winter. You’re too focused.”

“And you would call my actions recently anything but blind?” Winter wanted to know, resting her shoulder against Rele’s.

 _I’ve known you blinded by many things,_ Qurn put in, prompting a smile from both gundam and Princess.

“I–” Winter glanced over at the man laying by the hearth and started to see his eyes open and watching them quietly. In the flickering light of the fire it was clear his eyes were a brown-gray.

“Hello,” he rasped, his voice hoarse “I take it I have you two thank for the lack of ice in my veins?”

“Yes,” Rele murmured after a startled pause. “How do you feel?”

“Artos,” he replied, smiling slightly. “Artos du Bennr.”

Princess Rele and the Royal Knight exchanged a glance before looking back at Artos. “That is not what was asked,” Winter stated, though she kept her voice soft, not wanting to wake any of the others, particularly Claw. She didn’t want to deal with the out-spoken Knight’s sarcasm at the moment.

“I know.” His words were slightly mumbled. “But it’s what I’d like to know if I’d just pulled a strange man out of the snow during a blizzard.”

“True,” Winter admitted. Standing, she approached the stranger, moving Qurn’s wing between Rele and Artos. Rele gave the Royal Knight a look and reached up to gently pull the wing down.

“Winter. He can hardly move.”

Artos gave a soft and hoarse laugh, his arms falling to rest gently at his sides. “You must be a person of great importance to have such a mighty Knight protecting you.”

“Her name is Rele,” Winter said, dropping to one knee beside Artos to feel his temperature with the fingertips of one hand, “and mine is Winter. Since you have introduced yourself, I would now like to know what you were doing out in such weather, where you came from and what happened to the buildings here as well as their owners.”

“Quite a list,” Artos said, watching the Knight Gundam with a level gaze. “In that order, I was trying to get free of my father and somehow get word to someone in Lacroa of what’s happening in his labs, I came from my home and the people here were killed by my grandfather’s experiments. The buildings were destroyed by the people before they succumbed to the plague which drove them mad. Don’t worry–” he added quickly when he saw Qurn’s wings mantle in alarm at the word ‘plague’, “the plague can’t survive these temperatures. It’s long gone.”

“What’s happening in your father’s labs?” Rele asked, looking entirely unnerved by the news. She glanced over at the others and noticed something Winter hadn’t; Claw was awake and was watching the three of them with her golden eyes gleaming. Surprisingly, the Knight was saying nothing.

“He’s following in his father’s footsteps and recreating the experiments which got our family exiled from Lacroa in the first place,” Artos sighed, shifting to rest one hand on his own chest. “I don’t suppose there’s any water or food to be had?”

The sound of Claw bringing the requested items forward startled Winter but she nodded to the other Knight, stepping back to allow her to tend to the young exiled noble. Artos looked startled at the appearance of another gundam but accepted the help sitting up. He leaned against the side of the hearth as he ate and drank, seeming to be much stronger once he was finished.

“Of great importance,” he murmured, watching the three of them carefully. “You’ve come to rescue those my father is experimenting on, haven’t you?”

“Four of them,” Rele agreed. “Are there others?”

Artos nodded, carefully giving the empty water bottle to Claw, who vanished into the darkness with it. “You’ll have a time of it, even with two Knights, lady Rele. His fortress is full of traps for the unwary.”

“Which you will lead us through,” Winter stated, crossing her arms over her chest as best she could with the claws of the Gryphon on her forearms. “We have no time to guide you to Lacroa and return to save our comrades.”

“You would trust me to lead you anywhere?” Artos asked, his expression impossible to read.

“Y’ain’t spun a falsehood so far,” Claw purred, appearing from the darkness as abruptly as she had disappeared. She looked even more feral than usual, crouched as she was in the flickering light with one hand on her polearm. Winter, realizing what her fellow Knight was doing, made a show of stepping to her side in support, making sure to stay between Rele and Artos. “An’ I’d know, laddybuck, if y’had. I be Claw, Smoke Knight. I hail from the Pirate Isles so I ain’t as civilized as our Lady Knight, here. It be in your best interest t’keep speakin’ true.”

Reaching up to sweep the hood of his jacket from his head, Artos revealed dark brown hair and smooth brows which were ticked together in puzzlement. “The Pirate Isles?” he asked, “weren’t they destroyed about twenty years ago?”

“Stolen by th’ Dark Axis,” Claw corrected. “Returned t’Lacroa by Zero, the Winged Knight an’ Winter, here. An’ that was a’fore Winter had all the power she got now.”

The Knight of the Golden Maelstrom gave Claw a dark look for the lie of omission, which the Knight ignored.

“I can feel her power,” Artos said, resting his wrists on his drawn-up knees. “And yours, Smoke Knight…and Rele’s.”

Taking a deep breath, Artos pushed himself to his feet and held them, steadying out after a few moments of standing.Winter, Claw and Rele watched while he stamped first one foot, then the other, nodding slightly to himself.The young man then went to one knee before the two gundams and the Princess, his head bowed.“I owe you my life,” he said.“If you’ll permit it, gentle lady, I can prove my good intent by taking a short walk with the Knight Gundam Winter.”

“Why Winter?”Claw wanted to know, her golden eyes watching his every move carefully.

“Her name suggests she is well matched against the weather,” Artos said with a slight smile.

“He is not wrong,” Winter agreed.“I am willing if you would permit it–” she stopped herself just before calling Rele by her title, her incomplete sentence making for an awkward moment of silence.

“I would,” Rele said after a thoughtful pause.Artos got to his feet, his gray-brown gaze flicking between the two gundams and the young lady they flanked.He nodded and together he and Winter disappeared out the door into the still-raging storm.

 

**

 

Man and gundam walked in silence.Both of them got the feeling that even if the wind hadn’t made talking impossible, neither one would have much to say.Winter had summoned her sword the moment they had been clear of the doorway, Qurn keeping his wings carefully out of the wind.First, Artos led her in a circle around the house they had been staying in, making his way to an empty stable.The young man quickly scaled a ladder into a loft, Winter using her flight booster to keep a careful eye on him.

What he drew from under the molded and frozen straw in a corner of the loft was a key.At Winter’s curious look, Artos smiled and returned to the floor, moving to the largest of the stalls.Closing his eyes, he held the key out in front of him on the palm of his hand, his lips moving in words the Royal Knight couldn’t hear.Suddenly the key jumped off of his palm to float in mid air, a Magical Disk in whites and grays instead of the blues and yellows Winter was familiar with appearing under his feet.

Two things appeared at Artos’ feet; a small steel box and a cloth-wrapped form which Winter knew immediately to be a sword, simply from its shape.Artos bowed his head and the Disk vanished, leaving the two of them in the stable with only the key, the box and the wrapped sword as proof it had ever existed.

“You can wield Mana?” Winter asked, puzzled.“I felt no draw on the mana-stream.”

“The du Bennr family was a very old noble house,” Artos replied over the sound of the diminishing storm.He made no effort to pick up the sword.“Our talents lie in locking and hiding.Please, take the sword.”

Wary, Winter approached and did just that, pulling the cloth wrapping off to discover a bright white leather sheath resting against a hilt of fine silver inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a cream leather grip and silver pommel.The bastard sword was sized for a human, not a gundam, and she knew the moment she pulled the sheath down that the blade was strong and sharp.On the blade just above the hilt, she saw two symbols, one on each side.  One was the crest of Lacroa, like her own sword bore.The other was simple; two snow-capped mountains.Giving a slight nod, she pushed the sword home, hiding the blade and the sigils.“The sword of du Bennr, I take it.”

“You’re not wrong,” Artos agreed.“Winter, you seem like an honest Knight Gundam.What are my chances?”

“Do us true,” Winter said immediately, “and we will do the same.We are not in the habit of betrayal or punishing where none is due.”

 

**

 

The Royal Knight could see, when she and Artos returned to the others, that Claw and Rele had woken Natalie and Kesshō.The girl and the ryuu were sitting with their hands on their ankles, almost identical expressions of earnest determination on their faces.Winter was hard pressed not to grin at the picture they made but didn’t want to insult either of them.“You’ve been gone close to an hour,” Rele stated, her expression less than pleased.“Where did you go?”

“We were looking for an ally of mine,” Artos said, “but couldn’t find him.We did find these.”

Winter presented the sword to Rele, who slid the scabbard back the same way she had to see the two marks on either side of the blade.“The blade of du Bennr,” the Princess murmured.

Claw and Winter both caught the flicker of expression of Artos’ face, but it didn’t stay long enough for either of them to be sure of what it had been.Next, the young man offered the Princess the steel box he had been carrying.Rele opened it and instantly froze, her face lit by a pale silver light.“I stole that from my father,” Artos said softly, “I don’t know if he knows it’s missing.But I couldn’t let him experiment on it–”

“You have no need to explain yourself to me,” Rele whispered, carefully closing the box.“A Spirit Egg is a precious and sacred item.”Without another word, the young woman cast a spell and the box vanished into a safe and secure pocket of Mana.This time when she looked at the young man who was a few inches taller than her five foot seven inches, her regal bearing was clear, particularly with Winter to her right and Claw to her left.“We are Princess Relejimana Miya du Lacroa.You have done my family a great service by returning this to us.Kneel, Artos du Bennr, and swear your fealty to Us and Our Royal Family.”

Whatever Artos had been expecting, this clearly wasn’t it.Expression stunned, he fell to one knee, head bowed.Rele held his family sword while the young man willingly swore the Oath of Fealty to the Royal Family of Lacroa.


	14. Chapter 14

The scrape of armor on stone brought Zero out of the half-doze he had sunk into and the Winged Knight absently noted that opening his eyes took far less effort than it had previously.Experimentally, he turned his head toward the sound, relaxing when the move didn’t result in any pain or disorientation.Bakunetsumaru was sitting beside him, watching the Knight Gundam with worried brown eyes.Zero offered his long-time friend a smile.

“I am feeling much better,” he said, easing up to his elbows to prove his point. The samurai’s worried look was only partly relieved and Zero focused himself, sitting up all the way to lean his back against the stone wall of his cell. “What is it?”

“I don’t like thinking that Rele may come after you,” Baku said bluntly. “We both know this is a trap for her. Deathscythe wants her just as much now as he did eight years ago.”

“We have no way of stopping her from coming,” Zero said, feeling strangely peaceful. “We must trust that Winter, Fang and Claw will be able to keep her safe.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Baku wanted to know, peering at the Knight. Zero rested his head back against the wall, noticing that he wasn’t wearing his helmet.

“I feel … peaceful. Calm, collected. I haven’t felt this at ease in…months. Years, even. Some worm of darkness has been eating at my soul, and it seems to be gone.”The Winged Knight contemplated his hands, where they were curled slightly in his lap, then shook his head.“No, not gone, just moved to its proper place, curtailed with–” Zero caught the confused look on the samurai’s face and chuckled slightly. “Never mind, my friend. Let’s just say I feel settled and calm.Ready for whatever fight will be needed to free us from this place.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Bakunetsumaru said with a smile. “You’ve been worrying everyone here.”

“Where did you and Shute come from?” Zero wanted to know, absently reaching deep inside himself for his connection to the Mana of the Universe. To his surprise he could sense it just out of reach, separated from his touch by only a single barrier.

“A tower,” the Musha replied, settling comfortably on his knees. “There were a lot of strange machines in the room, even Shute couldn’t figure out what they were for.”

“Deathscythe took me to a room filled with strange machines,” Zero said, pushing on the barrier keeping him from his magic. “If we can get back there, we should be able to find our way out of this place.”

“We will likely have to fight,” Bakunetsumaru stated. “I have no idea where my swords are and I won’t leave without them.”

Zero nodded, knowing how much his friend treasured his two swords, one of which he knew had been a gift from an old master.“We will find them,” he promised.“Give me a moment, I need to concentrate.”

“On what?” Bakunetsumaru wanted to know, watching the Winged Knight carefully.

“Reconnecting myself with the Mana of the Universe,” Zero said.“Hush.”The Winged Knight came to his feet, an action which caught Battle and Deed’s attentions, though the other two Knights said nothing. “Oh Mana,” Zero began, but stopped before completing the spell. The words were empty– just words.Frowning, he closed his eyes and tried again, knowing that no barrier could truly cut him off from the power of the Seven Stars for long.In his mind, he saw himself standing, facing the barrier, a sword in hand. At first it was a training sword, then abruptly it became the Buster Sword.“Oh Mana,” he said again, both mentally and aloud. He didn’t realize it but wind was beginning to stir in the cellblock where he stood, Bakunetsumaru backing away until he was clear of Zero’s cell.

Deed and Battle both shuddered, the Crimson Knight dropping his head back with his eyes closed while the Knight of the Shining Blade wrapped his arms around himself and sank to one knee, pain-tremors wracking his form.Up in Iswyn’s computer room alarms began to go off as Deathscythe began to writhe in pain, howling for someone to make it, whatever it was, stop.Rock sat bolt upright where he had been dozing restlessly, tumbling from the bed to hit the ground hard. He gasped in a breath, curling his hands tightly around the blackened Royal Crest in his shoulder.Nataku stopped short on the stairs leading to Iswyn’s computer room, frozen by the familiar-unfamiliar sensations flowing through his gunsoul and armor.

Frowning, Iswyn typed several commands into his computer and stood straight when several of the monitors displayed nothing but static. “No!” He snarled, beginning to type furiously. “No, I must know what is happening!”

Aware and yet unaware of all of this, Zero stood with Buster Sword in hand, facing the barrier which separated him from his Mana.It had once been thick, like a wall. Now it was stretched almost to transparency, like a membrane. “Mana of the Seven Stars, the Universe and All Living Things,” he said, lifting the Buster Sword and lunging forward. “For the Princess and Lacroa!”

The barrier resisted the mental blade for only a moment before giving way, washing the Winged Knight in a flood which filled him up and radiated out from his form, spilling his cape down his back. Battle arched his own back, stumbling against the gundanium bars as his own maroon cape tumbled into place from his own shoulders. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, sage green eyes turning to Zero in wonder.On the tower steps, Nataku ripped off his cloak, staring in shock at the dark blue cape adorning his back.On the floor of his sleeping chamber, Rock stared at the royal purple cape in his hand, a new light glowing in his ocean-blue eyes.

Armor clattering against stone brought Zero’s attention back to the physical world. Electric blue eyes fell on the familiar form of Deed, finding the other Knight Gundam in violent convulsions on the floor. His silver cape was flickering in and out of being, wrenched between the two halves of his gunsoul.

“The shield spell, Zero,” Battle called, turning to the Winged Knight, who stood calmly watching the Knight of the Shining Blade writhe. “I can’t remember–!”

For a long breath it seemed like Zero wouldn’t do anything for the Knight Gundam who had betrayed him so badly. Before a second had passed, however, Zero’s I-Beam shield snapped into place around Deed, slowing his movements until they were nothing more than shudders. The Winged Knight reached back into the Mana Stream and found the threads of Mana wrapping themselves around Deed. He hesitated briefly, but ended up casting another shield, this one keeping the Mana from the other Knight Gundam and locking it in place. When he opened his eyes again, Deed was still on the ground but the shudders had stopped and the silver cape was nowhere to be seen.

Zero walked over and offered Deed his hand wordlessly, helping him to his feet. “Zero?” Deed questioned hesitantly, aquamarine eyes confused.

“Reincarnated,” Zero said, well aware Battle was watching the interaction closely, “you are not him. You will never be my brother, but I won’t see another Knight Gundam suffer.” He let Deed’s hand go and walked over to Bakunetsumaru, Shute and Captain, nodding to the other members of the Gundam Force. “Let us escape, together.”

 

**

 

All involved were suitably impressed by the map Artos drew with a burnt stick from the fire on the floor of the manor house they were taking shelter in.”Father’s main lab is here,” he said, “but the gundam called Deathscythe does Father’s work here.My Lord Father doesn’t have a good opinion of the intelligence of gundams.He considers them to be little more than abominations, no offense meant to the current company.”

“You obviously don’t,” Natalie pointed out. The youngest human member of their party was sitting between Kesshō and Rele, watching Artos’ every move. Claw’s suspicion seemed to have been transferred to the young girl, as the Smoke Knight was now standing with her back to the group, watching the silent snowfall out one of the windows and apparently not paying attention to a word they said. Winter knew better; Claw could hear every word.

“No,” Artos agreed with a smile. “I’ve always found Knight Gundams to be noble and perceptive beings.Particularly those Father has working for him now; the reincarnated Knights Rock and Nataku.”

Seeing Rele shiver, Winter instantly reached out to her Princess, though she felt oddly frozen herself.Rock and Nataku were names she had heard exalted in Lacroa’s history and mentioned infrequently from Zero and only then with great emotion.”They reincarnated?”She asked, her smoky voice quiet.

“Father said that someone in Lacroa who was close to the Spirit Tree on a daily basis wanted them alive so badly that the Spirit Tree obliged, as much as it could.”Artos was looking into the fire, giving Rele and Winter time to compose themselves.Though Natalie and Kesshō didn’t entirely understand why the names held such weight, the girl and the ryuu stood, Kesshō taking Rele’s hand and Natalie putting her hand on Winter’s forearm.The Royal Knight nodded her thanks to Natalie and Rele gave Kesshō a brief smile.

“Do they remember?”Rele asked.It was a tricky thing with reincarnations: technically every Knight Gundam in Lacroa was a reincarnation of the previous generation, their deaths had simply wiped the memories from their gunsouls.

“They did,” Artos admitted.”Father did … something to them.Several somethings.I don’t know all of the details since he barred me from his labs after I objected to the experiments.”

“You were right to object,” Winter said, returning her pale gaze to him.”Artos, you know we must, at best, imprison your father.”

“Please do,” Artos said, meeting her gaze squarely.”When a child can tell, like I did, that what you’re doing is inhumane and wrong, there is something seriously wrong.I would like to see him held accountable for his actions.”

 

**

 

“I would have a word, Princess,” Winter murmured, a sideways motion of her head toward a dark corner indicating she wanted that word to be private. Rele nodded once, fixed Claw with a look and together Royal Knight and Princess departed to the secluded corner, their backs mostly to the others.Winter kept herself at least able to see if Claw needed her attention. “I need a weapon,” she murmured, raising her ice-blue eyes to meet Rele’s blue-violet ones. “The Gryphon Lance is not for my hand, Qurn and I have agreed.”

Rele leaned back on her heels, her eyes gaining a distant look. “I should have thought of this the moment I saw the two of you melded,” she said softly. “And I should have given you a sword of more magical bearing long before this.I’m so–”

“I like my sword,” Winter objected with a smile to show she was sincere.”But Qurn would complain if I used a plain one while melded with him.”

 _I would not,_ the Gryphon muttered. _You’re the vain one.Will this take long? I thought you were in a hurry._

“So we are,” Rele said with a slight laugh.Concentrating for a moment, the Princess held out her hands and in them appeared a sword of grace and wicked edges. With Rele’s permission, Winter grasped the grip with one hand and nearly dropped the weapon when it was at first as light as a feather, then adjusted itself to the perfect weight she looked for in a blade.

“Interesting,” she murmured, examining how the gleaming silver blade was keenly sharp and perfectly straight on both edges until about two thirds down, where it curved on one side like a hunting knife before coming to a wicked point. It looked almost like a cutlass, she noted, spotting the ice and feather details worked subtly into the hilt and down the fuller. “Does it have a name?”

The Princess smiled, looking almost smug. “Like I said, I should’ve given it to you as soon as you appeared in the cave, Knight of the Golden Maelstrom, for this sword is also named Maelstrom. It’s a mighty blade and doesn’t allow just any to master it, or so the story goes.”

“A story for another time,” Winter stated, turning back to the others. Artos pulled his hood up, having already strapped his family’s sword to his back.Rele crossed the room to stand before Kesshō and Natalie, looking deep into both pairs of blue eyes.

“Things are about to get very dangerous,” she told them both. Kesshō bit her lip but said nothing and Natalie simply nodded. “If you two want to stay here–”

“I know I’m not supposed to interrupt, Highness,” Natalie said, eyes flashing, “but Winter’s been teaching me how to fight with a sword for, like, a year now. I’m good at it. I came to rescue my brother and that’s what I’m gonna do. I don’t care how scary it gets.”

“I came this far,” Kesshō added, though her voice trembled slightly, “I’m not going home now.”

To everyone’s surprise Claw stalked over and offered Kesshō a dagger, hilt-first. The scabbard was covered in decorations in the Pirate Isles style.Eyes wide, the ryuu accepted the gift, drawing the blade to reveal a triangle-shaped blade with a copper sheen shaped vaguely like a shark’s tooth.As small as Kesshō was, the blade suited her almost perfectly.”Um,” she said, blushing but meeting Claw’s golden gaze, “thanks.”

“Can’t let’cha go in unarmed,” was the cat gundam’s dry comment, “seein’ as you ain’t gotta blade of your own.Spells be all well’n good, but a blade don’t depend on anythin’ but she that wields it.Know what t’do with it?”

Natalie leaned over to whisper something in Crystal’s ear.The ryuu gave the young human a look, but grinned slightly.”Stick people with the pointy end,” she told Claw, who nodded, showing her how to attach the sheath to her belt before stalking out into the snow.”I knew that,” Kesshō told Natalie.

“Just makin’ sure,” the youngster said, making sure her own sword was strapped firmly at her side.Rele, her own weapon a narrow silver sword which looked wickedly sharp when she drew it to check the blade one last time, turned to face the others.

“Artos will lead,” she said, “since this is his home.Claw will be behind him and I will follow Claw.Natalie, you will follow me, Kesshō, follow Natalie.Winter, you will be our rear guard.”

“Yes, Princess,” Winter murmured, bowing slightly.A shiver having nothing to do with cold ran up her back beneath her armor and she gave Qurn a purely mental glance. _What was that prickle of Mana, just now?_ she asked the Gryphon silently.

 _Zero has rejoined the Mana Stream,_ the Spirit Beast replied. _He brought others with him, but I can’t tell who._

 _At least he is not defenseless any longer_.


	15. Chapter 15

“This place reeks of foul sorcery,” Bakunetsumaru muttered, after they found that this time the portal led somewhere completely different than where he and Shute had been kept prisoner.

“My sensors are functioning now,” Captain announced, looking around carefully.”It seems our escape has been detected and we are being surrounded.”

“By what?” Baku demanded, reaching for empty scabbards. After a moment he detached the sheaths themselves from his sides and held them like he would his swords, he and Captain standing back to back in front of Shute.The young man set his back against the wall of the hallway they were currently standing in, unable to find anything close to cover to get behind.

“They look something like the Pawn Leos which attacked us in the cave,” Captain said, glancing back at Shute to make sure the man was all right. “Stay behind us, Shute.”

“Wish I had something to fight with,” the human replied, frustrated.To his surprise Bakunetsumaru handed him one of the scabbards, keeping one which Shute noticed had a small crack in the end for himself.”Thanks, Baku.”

“We must all do our part,” the samurai told him, keeping his brown eyes fixed on the darkness surrounding them.

“Guide my blade, Captain,” Zero murmured, gripping his Buster Sword comfortably. “I will show these fiends that we are not defenseless mice!”

“There, Zero!” Captain said, pointing at a flash of half-seen movement.

“Lacroian Crescent!” Zero cried, whipping his sword through the air.The spell exploded from his blade and shrieked across the room, taking out half a dozen of the darkly colored Pawn Leos and the wall behind them.

“Overcompensating for something or did you just lose control of the spell?” Baku commented in a moment of surprised silence, bracing himself against the rush of cold wind which howled into the room from a blizzard raging outside. “If you intend for us to use that as an escape route, you forget that only two of us can fly.”

“One of us,” Captain put in. “I don’t have my jetpack.”

An outline appeared in the gash in the wall, the silhouette of which gave the Gundam Force pause.Golden wings flexed and the figure landed on one knee just inside the room.When she straightened Zero couldn’t help giving a glad cry, even though the figure ignored him completely.

The sword in her hands flashed and the rest of the Pawn Leos in the room backed up, consolidating themselves into two groups on either side of her. “You would do well to heed me,” the Royal Knight Gundam said, her voice a smooth and dark as tinted glass. “Pawn Leos, agents of the enemy. I am Winter, Royal Knight of the Golden Maelstrom and I wield the Maelstrom Blade. I am here for your master, Deathscythe!”

The larger Pawn Leos the Gundam Force had been facing down exchanged looks, hesitating only briefly before both groups surged forward at once, both concentrating on the large target Winter offered.The Royal Knight engaged several of them at once and four more figures lept through the hole in the wall behind her, each also engaging at least one of the attacking Pawn Leos.It was the Knight Gundam clad in golden wings which kept Battle and Zero’s attention, both of them watching closely as she used both wings and sword with devastating effectiveness against her foes.

All of the arriving rescuers gave as good as they got, two smaller figures working tag-team to take out their opponent with sword, dagger and what looked like whips made of nothing more than water.Two taller figures, a man and a woman dressed for cold weather travel, used their own swords in different styles, the woman favoring a swift and effective jabbing while the man preferred powerful but slower over the shoulder hacks and slashes.The final figure wove in and out of the others, lending a hand where needed and seeming to defy gravity several times with her flips and spins.She used her polearm to deadly advantage, her bronze cape betraying her Knight rank.The Gundam Force found themselves in the unique position of having very little to do.

“Friends of yours?” Battle asked, glancing at the shocked expressions on the faces of the Gundam Force.Deed had moved to be as out of sight as he could be, not exactly hiding but not making himself obvious, either.

“M-most of them … I think?”Shute replied slowly, shifting and trying to get a good look at one of the smaller figures.”I … that looks like _Natalie!_ But my sister’s only ten, I can’t believe the Chief let her–!”

The young man was cut off when Zero stepped forward to try to help their rescuers.An orange spectral claw shot out at him from Winter’s position, shoving him back against the wall almost hard enough to make him wince.”Stay where you are,” Winter said, her new voice making it difficult to tell if its dark tinge was anger or normal, “we must talk.”

Zero caught Bakunetsumaru’s sly look out of the corner of his eye and tried his best to ignore the Blazing Samurai.Bakunetsumaru never gave up a chance to tease his long-time friend, however: “I think you’re in trouble with your Lady Knight, pal.”

“I don’t believe I care,” Zero said in reply, doing his best not to flush from the look Battle was giving him.”Surely she wouldn’t have come all this way if she had no further feelings for me.”

“Those feelings could be homicidal ones,” Shute put in.

“Winter isn’t one to leave things unfinished,” Baku agreed, prompting a snicker from Shute.”She could have come just to kill you.”

A familiar battle cry interrupted their playful abuse of the Winged Knight and Bakunetsumaru stared blankly at the blue and blond form darting around in the field of battle.”Kesshō?” He asked incredulously.The little ryuu finished off her last opponent, spared a glance for Natalie and threw herself at the Blazing Samurai,who caught her as gently as he could.

“Bakunetsumaru!” She cried, looking intently up into his face while he blushed fiercely.”I was so worried!”

“Shute!” Natalie shouted, rushing over to her older brother. She stopped just before hugging him, though, staring at his bruised face and torn uniform. Though tears welled in the ten-year-old’s eyes, she scowled at him. “Mom’s gonna freak, you made such a mess of your uniform!”

Bakunetsumaru burst out laughing, still holding Kesshō. Shute sighed, but held out a hand to his younger sister who immediately took it with the hand not holding her sword. “C’mere,” he said, “I can’t believe how much trouble we’re both gonna be in when we get home.”

“Princess Rele,” Captain said, catching everyone’s attention.Instantly Battle, Deed and Zero dropped to one knee where they stood, the Royal Knight the only one not to bow his head.Winter crossed to Rele’s side, the tip of her sword resting on the floor and her ice-blue eyes regarding the three Knight Gundams carefully.The Princess had her gaze fixed on Zero.

“You’ve caused us quite a bit of worry, Zero,” Rele said gently, “and … you look horrible.”

“I have no excuse for my bearing nor my manner when I was last in Lacroa,” Zero said, meeting Rele’s gaze briefly before he dropped his head as well.”I’m sorry you had to see me this way, Princess.”

“Winter has explained the circumstances of your recent months,” Rele told him.With his head down, it was impossible to see his expression and how he reacted to that piece of information.”You owe me no apology.Her, however, you owe a great deal.Rise, Zero, Winged Knight.”

“Yes, Princess,” Zero agreed, coming to his feet.His expression, visible now, was rueful.”But before I can begin paying that debt, introductions need to be made.You no doubt recognize these Knight Gundams as Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus and … Deed.”

“Artos told us Nataku and Rock had been reincarnated,” Rele said after a startled moment, “and we knew about Deathscythe. But … Deed?”

The Knight in question dropped to both knees, his gaze on the floor. Battle sighed when it was obvious he wasn’t going to speak. “Princess Relejimana,” the Crimson Knight murmured, “Deed’s gunsoul is heavy with the crimes he committed in his last life.”

“We don’t have time to sort this out, now,” Rele said finally. “Battle, my heart, and Zero’s no doubt, rejoices at your reappearance.We will discuss your role in Lacroa later.For now, are you up to the task of keeping Deed under your watch?”

“If he ain’t,” Claw put in, sauntering forward, “I be up to it.This be the other half of th’ Knight what destroyed Lacroa, Zero?”

“That very Knight,” Zero replied, his voice surprisingly neutral. “I would be comfortable were he under Claw’s watch, Princess.She would not be fooled easily.”

“Aye,” Claw agreed, crouching before Deed and raising his chin with the tip of her polearm. “Mark me, Deed. I be Claw, Smoke Knight. You do me false, your life on my blade, none here’d look twice.”

“The Knights of Lacroa have changed,” Battle murmured, a frown clear in his tone. Claw smirked at him.

“That we have,” she purred, rising gracefully from her crouch. “Be you Knight enough t’test me, Battle, Knight of Crimson Lotus?”

“Now is not the time, Claw.”Everyone, even Battle and Deed, fell quiet at the sound of Winter’s dark new voice.Now that she was standing still, it was clear that she was indeed melded with a high-ranking Spirit Beast, making her easily the most powerful Knight Gundam present.

“Aye, Lady Knight,” Claw agreed, settling herself so close to Deed that it obviously made the Knight Gundam uneasy.Claw herself didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“Zero.”Now, the Knight of the Golden Maelstrom was pointing at the ground before her in a clear order.Though Battle gave Zero a curious look, having heard the Winged Knight’s title as leader of the Royal Knights and thereforeout-ranking Winter, Zero didn’t hesitate to cross the room and stand with Winter, Qurn’s wing dropping to cut off their conversation from the rest of those gathered.

“Artos,” Rele said, her voice a bit too loud in the silence that followed, “where do we go from here?”

 

**

 

“I can’t apologize enough,” Zero began immediately, “I’m so sorry, Winter–”

“I know you are,” Winter interrupted.She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, centering herself.”I am glad it took this long to find you.Had we found you three days ago, I would not have this patience.Words are strong, Zero.I will never be able to unhear what you said, nor will you unhear what I said.”

“Hear this, then.”Zero reached to take both of Winter’s hands, even where they were grasped around the hilt of the sword she wielded, which he absently noticed was different than her usual blade.She didn’t resist and he looked deep into her eyes.”I didn’t mean it. I could give a thousand excuses as to why I said … what I said.But what really matters is I didn’t mean it then, I don’t mean it now.I love you, I’ve loved you for years and I’ll never stop loving you.Even if what I said means an end between us.”Winter took a breath but before she could speak, Zero pressed on.”I don’t want it to be, though. I want us to still be us. You ground me and make me realize just how pompous and silly I can be sometimes.You give me strength when I don’t think I have any left.I was wrong.I’ll probably be wrong again.And all I can say is, I’m sorry. I love you.”

Winter released her sword with one hand, disengaging it to reach and touch his mask gently.”I hear you,” she said.”Now you hear me.I am also sorry for what I said.I feared– yes, I was afraid, do not look so startled.I was dearly afraid that because I had spoken old, festering irritations which I had never let see light that what you had said was the same.But I see now that they were not.You are silly, and pompous, and you can be an inelegant fool.But so can I be, as this journey has proven.I believe we can agree that if we were to exchange such insults again, we should split ways and both of us would face the rest of our days alone.Do you understand my meaning?”

“I do,” Zero agreed.”I would be properly miserable, don’t worry.”

Letting the Maelstrom blade fall with a clatter, Winter pulled Zero close, wrapping her arms around him tightly.”Damn you,” she whispered, “do you know how terrified I was for you?I thought–”

“I’m sorry,” Zero said again, not realizing Qurn had dropped his wing so that the others could, and were with a keen interest, watch.The Winged Knight wrapped his arms around Winter in return, his eyes shut tightly in the embrace.”I am, I swear it.I was fair frightened myself, for your sake.”

“Consider yourself suitably scolded,” Winter told him, her whole frame relaxing.”Should anyone ask.Kiss me, Champion.”

“Gladly, Lady Knight,” Zero replied, just before he did.

Thirty seconds later, Shute let out a soft whoop, which Bakunetsumaru and Kesshō echoed with happy cries of their own.Claw gave a cat-call of her own, laughing with Natalie.Rele gave a tolerant sigh, shaking her head slightly.This movement caused her to catch Battle’s stunned look out of the corner of her eye.

“Why the face, Battle?”The Princess asked, a faint smile on her own face.

“I … forgive me, Princess,” he said, tone perplexed.”It is extremely odd to see Zero this way.I regained my memories, most of them, when he returned me to the Mana Stream and I remember him to be a … dignified and dutiful youngster not prone in the least to displays such as this.”

“These are extenuating circumstances,” Rele murmured.”When on duty, in the Palace, Zero is most dignified and, at times, almost stoic.Zero, Winter,” she added, raising her voice, “we need to move on.”

“Yes, Princess,” Winter said, having already broken the kiss and retrieved the Maelstrom Blade from where she had dropped it.Faint blushes on her and Zero’s masks were the only remaining clues that anything out of the ordinary had just happened.”Our apologies for that display.”

“None needed,” Rele told her with a tolerant smile.”Just don’t make a habit of it.”

“Of course, Princess,” Zero agreed, ignoring Bakunetsumaru’s grin.

 

**

 

“Here he is.”Nataku yanked Deathscythe into the room, ignoring the other gundam’s growl of displeasure.Iswyn du Bennr immediately turned off the monitor he had been watching and turned, pointing to a table in the middle of the chamber.

“Put him there,” the exiled lord said.Deathscythe jerked his arm out of Nataku’s grip, not noticing that the other Knight Gundam had let him free himself on purpose.

“I am not a creature on a leash to be jerked about at your pleasure,” Deathscythe spat.Iswyn gave him a mildly surprised look.

“But that’s exactly what you are,” he said.”Now get onto that table before I let Nataku beat the other half of life out of you.”

The Knight of Darkness’ head snaked around to look at the Bronze Knight, noting uneasily how eager he seemed to be to get that particular order.Deathscythe did as he was told, laying down when Iswyn gestured for him to do so.Instantly restraints whipped around his wrists, ankles, waist and neck, making it impossible for him to move.The last thing he saw before consciousness fled from him was a pleased glint in Nataku’s ruby red eyes that chilled him straight to his gunsoul.

It had been a long time since he had last felt fear.


	16. Chapter 16

“We cannot leave without Nataku and Rock,” Winter said, looking around at the gathered group of thirteen.”Nor can we leave the way from whence we came.”

“We must avoid the center of the fortress,” Zero said, “and avoid Deathscythe at all costs.Princess, I greatly appreciate you coming to rescue me, all of us, but you _had_ to know this was a trap.”

“The Princess has made it abundantly clear that she does not fear Deathscythe and will face him,” Winter told the Winged Knight, her smoky voice full of warning, “as she is no longer a helpless child.”The two Royal Knights matched look for look until Princess Relejimana deftly stepped between them.”Artos, where do you suggest we go from here?”

The Maelstrom Blade flashed in Winter’s hands before the young man could reply.Qurn’s wings flared, creating a large shield in an attempt to shield their human companions from the source of the two-toned growl they could all now hear.”Stay behind me,” Kesshō said to Bakunetsumaru, holding the dagger Claw had given her bravely in front of her.The Blazing Samurai stared at the small ryuu, too startled for words.Natalie also stepped in front of Shute, holding her short-sword expertly.

“Better stay back, too, bro,” the ten-year-old said, glancing up at her older brother.”Don’t worry, I know how to use this.”

“There are two large energy signatures approaching,” Captain stated, shifting so he was standing beside Natalie in front of Shute despite his own lack of weapons.

The two creatures that slunk forward out of the darkness radiated such a strong sense of wrongness that they all felt it, the gundams from Lacroa backing away involuntarily.”Twould be a mercy t’end these beasts,” Claw said, a strained note to her voice.”They be abominations.”

They looked similar to the large predatory cats of the Pirate Isles, but only in how they moved and how their limbs were formed.Their heads were entirely wrong, a single optic in the direct center of their foreheads glowing a sinister purple on a plane of black allowing it to slide from one side of their head to the other.They growled past jagged metal shark teeth in mismatched jaws, the lower protruding past the upper and made entirely of metal.Gundanium plates created shields in odd places; on their chests, the fronts of all four of their overly long legs, along their bellies and two strips on either side of their spines.The flesh between these plates seemed to flicker in and out of existence and when it could be seen it flickered a rainbow of colors, never appearing the same color twice.The only way to tell the two creatures apart was the fact that one of them had gray gundanium plates and the other had white.

Artos stepped forward around the efforts of the others to stop him and spoke in a strange language.To everyone’s surprise, the cat-creature with gray gundanium armor stopped growling and shook its head, pawing at one ear in obvious confusion.The other launched itself at him, its snarls echoing in the stone hallway.With a shout, Princess Relejimana shoved Artos out of the way and caught the creature on her sword, plunging the slim weapon directly through an unarmored spot between its chest and neck.Its own weight forced it down onto her sword but she held on, going to one knee under the strain.The beast gave a strangled noise and vanished, the gundanium armor clattering to the floor around the Princess.

“While that was highly impressive, Princess,” Winter managed after a breath’s stunned silence, “please do not ever do such a thing again.”

A metallic snarl prompted those who were watching Rele kill the first beast to wheel.Using the distraction provided by the death of its companion, the second beast had slipped around behind the group and launched itself at Shute.The young man was using Bakunetsumaru’s sheath to hold it at bay, having jammed the metal into the formidable jaws of his attacker and against the back teeth.Though it pawed at him with its front paws, they didn’t appear to have claws so, at least for the moment, Shute had the upper hand.Artos called out in the strange language again and the large beast froze, its purple optic sliding as far as it could to try to look at the man without letting go of Shute.

“Thanks,” Shute panted, “Artos, can you tell it to get off’a me?”

Approaching carefully, Artos murmured another string of words, prompting the creature to let go of Shute’s improvised weapon with surprising gentleness and sit.The brown-gray eyed man reached out and detached a piece of metal from the beast’s neck, raising it high and smashing it against the ground.Almost instantly the creature gave a full body shake, plopping down on its haunches when it was through, its optic now a neutral green.”It’s all right now,” Artos said, resting a hand on the creature’s head between its over-sized ears.”I’m sorry about that.I didn’t know that Father had– well, it’s clear he did.This is Pan.I built it using Father’s research when I was eight.I didn’t realize until later that what I’d done was wrong.I couldn’t kill it, since by then the AI I’d given it had evolved.Without my father’s influence, you can see it’s quite calm.”

“Can it understand us?”Shute wanted to know, scrambling to his feet.Bakunetsumaru and the Knights were eying the creature warily still, Rele not objecting when Winter and Zero both got between it and her. Kesshō and Natalie were the only two to approach and were treated to a gentle nuzzling from the large panther-like creature.

“No, it only understands computer code,” Artos said.Kesshō grinned a bit.

“It’s kinda cute, in a strange way,” she commented. Natalie seemed to like it the most and was gently petting it, until Shute reached forward and dragged her back.

“I kinda want to keep it,” Natalie whispered to Kesshō, returning the dragon-Musha’s understanding grin.”It didn’t really hurt Shute, y’know?”

“It’s safe,” Artos said, not hearing the girl’s whisper. “We should take it with us, so Father doesn’t get his hands on it again.”

“We shouldn’t leave a weapon for the enemy to use,” Baku agreed after a moment. “Let’s get going, before something _else_ happens.”

 

**

 

The omnipresence of pain from cracked armor and badly-done repairs had become so familiar that waking up without any was disorienting.Deathscythe shifted slightly and when the pain didn’t return, lifted his hands to rub his face.Attempting to sit up threw his balance off so badly he nearly toppled over, his aquamarine eyes jerking open to find the floor much farther away than he remembered it ever being.He stared down at himself in disbelief which swiftly turned to rage.

“Iswyn!”He roared, put off only momentarily by his new and much deeper voice, “what in the name of the abyss have you done to me?!”

The pain which arched through his form then was both familiar and completely new.The unfamiliar acrid bite sent him to his new knees, forced to muffle a treacherous sob which threatened to burst from his chest.The pain blocked out his senses long enough that when he could hear again, he only caught the last bit of what the human was saying.

“…grateful that I got rid of that fractured shell.”

The Knight of Darkness could see feet pacing the ground in front of him and reached out to grab one, freezing when his hand passed through nothing. The pain came again, this time in a shorter and less intense burst. Never unintelligent, Deathscythe realized the pain was punishment for disobedience and scowled, resenting his new vulnerability. He made no further move, however, waiting for the human’s next hint of what he wanted from the Knight.

“Better,” Iswyn commented, pleasure in his tone. “Stand, Deathscythe. And remember. I am your master. You will address me with the proper humility and rank.”

“Of course, my lord,” Deathscythe said, carefully making his way to his feet and examining his body on the way. The raw power in his limbs, the way the Dark Mana stream seethed at his touch– he knew he had been given a great gift. Instantly his mind began to work on a way to free himself of the hated human’s grip. _I need only figure out how he’s able to inflict the pain. Or build up such a resistance–_

“–Gundam Force–”

Deathscythe’s full attention snapped to the hologram of the human in front of him. He saw Nataku and Rock nearby, Rock only watching Iswyn as usual and Nataku giving Deathscythe a strange look. Was that cold calculation in the Bronze Knight’s gaze? Of course it was. He was envious of Deathscythe’s new, more powerful body, obviously. “Lord du Bennr,” Deathscythe said carefully, well practiced at the art of groveling, “this new form is strange to me and I’m still sorting out the inputs. What did you say about the Gundam Force?”

“I expected as much,” Iswyn said in his maddeningly arrogant way. “I knew the form was too much for a gundam intellect to handle but I had little choice. The Gundam Force has amassed allies, one of which is that wretched, disloyal son of mine. Another is Rele.”

Desire and need exploded in Deathscythe’s mind, nearly sending him to his knees. “The Princess?” He demanded, unable to help himself. “She’s here?” Glee tore through him. If she was here and Artos still had the egg of the Steel Dragon than his greatest desire may yet come to pass–

“Yes, but well protected by her Knights,” Iswyn was saying, “and I think Artos has taken a shine to her. He always was a disappointing boy.”

“No!” Deathscythe burst out, the glee vanishing in a new wave of anger.Iswyn laughed his high pitched giggle of a laugh.

“I see you’re highly motivated now, good. Dispose of the Gundam Force and their allies as you will, Deathscythe. Do well and I may–”

But the Knight of Darkness wasn’t paying attention any longer. He was deep in his own thoughts, letting half of his mind give the proper responses such egos as Iswyn du Bennr required while the rest of him plotted.So distracted was he that he didn’t notice when Rock departed, but he did notice when Nataku coughed into a hand. “Yes, what?!”

“Thirteen to one are quite the odds, Master,” the Bronze Knight murmured, his bright red eyes fixing on Deathscythe’s own aquamarine ones. “May I suggest breaking them up?”

“Do you think I fear the group of them together?”Deathscythe demanded, looking down on Nataku.The Knight of Darkness was pleased to note the slight glint of unease in the Bronze Knight’s crimson eyes as well as the way the Knight Gundam involuntarily took half a step back when Deathscythe loomed over him.

“Why would you fear anything?” Nataku asked, earning a nod from the now much taller gundam.”In your new form, I doubt even Deed–”

“You keep that worm away from me!”Deathscythe snapped.”Go, split the Gundam Force however you wish just make sure Princess Rele and Zero end up in the auditorium where I’ll be waiting!And release Iswyn’s experiments– all of them!Release them into the halls to take care of the rest of those imbeciles!Make sure Deed gets lost somewhere safe … but far away.Back in that damn dungeon would be best.”

“Of course,” Nataku said, not blinking at the conflicting orders.Deathscythe, caught in his own waking dream of an impossible future, strode through the doors to the amphitheater without a look back at the Bronze Knight.Had he looked back, he would have noticed Nataku’s absence; the Bronze Knight had already left the room by a different door, heading in the opposite direction and ending up in the same room as Iswyn du Bennr. “You heard his … requests,” Nataku told the exiled noble, garnet eyes following the man striding around the room.Iswyn was currently copying all of his research onto portable drives, completely unaware of Nataku’s earlier work which was silently corrupting the data as it was duplicated, making the new copies useless.

“Yes, do as he says,” Iswyn agreed absently.”But make sure Deed gets into the amphitheater.I want to make sure the destruction of this fortress is absolute.”

Though the Knight Gundam wanted to know how the man was sure that having Deathscythe and Deed in the same room would create that large of an explosion, he kept his questions to himself for the moment, save one.”Where will the new fortress be, my lord?”

“Here,” Iswyn said, pointing to a map of Ark’s most remote reaches.It was a mountain equally as rugged and isolated as the one they occupied now.”The Musha won’t expect a human in their midst, the idiot creatures.When you’re running Deathscythe’s little errands, see if you can find the Steel Dragon’s egg or at least keep one of the Summon Beasts alive.”

“Of course, my lord,” Nataku said, quickly growing tired of playing the role of faithful servant.The Bronze Knight was aware something had changed in his mind and his soul but didn’t have the time to puzzle over what exactly it had been. All he knew was that the safe place in his mind which made it possible for him to turn a blind eye to the atrocities happening within the fortress was gone. _It has something to do with what happened shortly after Zero’s arrival, whatever brought back my cape, I know that much._

“I’ll need it,” the man said, lifting his hand as if holding the sacred object.”Don’t you see?I’ve perfected my formula.I can create my own Knight Gundams and with the Summon Beast, I’ll be able to create not only gundams, which I figured out long ago, but _Knights_ , with full access to Mana!”The man giggled, cupping the imaginary object to his chest with both hands, eyes gleaming in the light cast by the computer monitors.”I’m going to create armies, armies loyal to me and none other!With them, I’ll march right up to the capital of Lacroa and _wipe it from existence!_ ”

Iswyn gave another of his high pitched giggles and began tearing hard drives from the computers they were in as soon as he was sure they were done being mirrored. Nataku found himself advancing on the man, deep anger springing from a part of his soul he had thought torn away when he had been put through the machine which had separated Deed from Deathscythe. The only thing which stopped him was meeting gazes with Rock, who was still standing across the room. The other Knight, the former leader of the Royal Knights of Lacroa, gave a minute shake of his head. Nataku stopped in his tracks, long used to taking orders from his oldest friend. Slowly, his rage simmered into a cold logic and he gave a slight nod to show he had himself back under control.

Rock’s cloak lifted slightly and suddenly Nataku found himself staring at the crest of Lacroa on the other Knight’s shoulder: it was almost glowing it was so brightly golden. He looked down at his own shoulder, reaching to momentarily pull the cloth covering it to one side, revealing that it too had become completely golden once again. The Bronze Knight let the cloth fall, looking back up at the Knight of the Hot Sands. Rock was pointing at his own crest. _We serve the Royal Family of Lacroa above all else_ , he seemed to be saying. Nataku nodded again and Rock’s crest vanished under his cloak once more.

“It’s a good plan to be certain, my lord,” Nataku said.The words startled Iswyn enough that the man jerked his head up, his stringy gray hair falling in messy lines across his face.He stared at the Knight Gundam while he continued to speak.”The du Lacroa family deserves to be destroyed by their blindness.”The Bronze Knight poured all of his anger into his words, emphasizing the name of the Royal Family in an attempt to make it sound like he was angry with them instead of Iswyn.

“Exactly!” Iswyn snapped, dumping the hard drives into a box and shoving the box into an incinerator. “Those fools–”

“I should ready the final preparations,” Nataku interrupted, bowing. Distracted by his own plans of revenge, Iswyn waved a hand in absent dismissal. Nataku was gone in the next moment.

Lord Iswyn du Bennr straightened, pushing his hair back off of his face. “He didn’t like the idea of creating a new breed of Knights, did he, Rock?”

The Knight of the Hot Sands shook his head silently. Iswyn didn’t bother demanding that the Knight Gundam reply verbally; they both knew Rock had lost his ability to speak almost a year before in an experiment gone wrong.

“Kill him,” Iswyn ordered, looking into Rock’s steely cobalt eyes. “Make it look like Deathscythe did it. Make it out alive and you’ll not only have a new body of your choice but the privilege of killing anyone in the du Lacroa family save the King. He’s mine.”

Rock nodded his acceptance of the order and vanished into the shadows.


	17. Chapter 17

The Gundam Force and their new allies stopped short at the sound of several large, rumbling crashes, the force of which shook the hallway they had been carefully making their way down.Artos, who was leading the way, held out a hand to signal everyone behind him to stop.Once the sounds had died away, he glanced back to find the group watching him with varying expressions of concern and fear.”At least one of the cages of my father’s failed experiments have been opened,” he said softly.”Be on your guard.Though he has become something of an expert in melding spirit-beast and gundam, his earlier creations are … feral, to say the very least.Mostly driven mad by the pain of living with what they are.”

“I can see why you risked your life in the blizzard to try to find someone to stop him,” Rele said softly.The others nodded, taking the impromptu opportunity to take stock of the situation.

“I’m beginning to miss enemies like Zapper and his Zakos,” Shute muttered, leaning tiredly against the wall.The young man was the most battered of the group, considering Zero had mostly recovered from his trip through Iswyn’s splicing machine.

“Yes,” Rele replied softly, “even the Zako Busshi begin to pale in comparison to the monstrosities we face here.”

“I don’t believe I shall quote old lore,” Zero put in, “about being careful of wishes, as much as I agree.”

“Ol’ Zapper showing up’d mean Genki was nearby,” Shute pointed out.”That can only be a good thing for our side.”

“I will tell him such when we have retrieved our allies and Bakunetsumaru’s blades,” Zero retorted.

“Now, Zero,” a new voice said chidingly from the darkness, “don’t jinx the matter by mentioning getting out without further incident.Unless you’ve changed a great deal, I know you’re a firm believer in the fickle ways of luck.”

“Who goes there?!” Bakunetsumaru and Winter demanded, the Royal Knight brandishing her longsword before her.Zero had frozen, fists clenched and eyes fixed on the darkness.The samurai’s missing katana sailed out of the darkness, skidding to a stop at his feet.A few moments later and Bakunetsumaru had the blades in his hands, their sheathes back in their proper place at his sides.

“I will not ask again,” Winter said, taking a step forward and settling into a graceful fighting stance with the Maelstrom Blade up in a clear threat.”Name yourself, stranger, or face my blade!”

“I’m a friend,” the voice said.”Now, watch yourselves.You’ll need to keep track of each other … in the dark.”

The word was spoken and the shadows converged on the group, plunging the corridor into an inky black, blotting out even the light coming from the eyes of the gundams present.Instantly confused calls and shouting began, many of the group crashing into each other in the darkness.Battle knew the wall was only a few steps to his right but when he side-stepped in that direction one of his feet caught on something and he went sprawling, feeling several bodies fall on top of him.Moments later Captain’s spotlights split the shadows and Battle was able to disentangle himself from Natalie.

“I believe our ‘friend’ achieved his goal,” Battle said, picking himself up carefully.”In separating our group out.Natalie, Captain, I hope one of you knows the methods of controlling this creature or we will all be in trouble momentarily.”

The creature in question was Pan, who was pacing in front of the two gundams and lone human restlessly.The lights on top of Captain’s helm revealed the rest of the others had somehow vanished and the four of them were trapped in a windowless room.The only exits any of them could see were the door they had come in from, which proved to lead into a dead-end hallway, and another door, blocked by rubble.

“I think I can,” Natalie said slowly.”But how’d we get in here?”

“This place seems to be filled with traps and hidden doors,” Battle said, watching Pan carefully.”If you would,” he added, gesturing to the spirit-beast meld.Natalie nodded, sliding her sword back into her belt carefully before standing up straight.

“Pan,” she began, “sudo, case break.Command: sit.”The creature stared at Natalie for a long moment before plopping onto its haunches, giving a yawn which neither Battle nor Natalie found particularly reassuring.Even so, Battle gave a sigh of relief and Natalie beamed, trotting over before either gundam could stop her to wrap her arms around the creature’s neck.”Good, uh, Pan,” she crooned.

“You know,” Battle commented, looking at the pair, “sitting, its head is as high as you are tall.”

Unknowingly, Battle had hit on a sensitive subject for the young girl and she proved it by wheeling and scowling at the Crimson Knight, one arm still around Pan’s shoulders.”I’ll have you know,” she said, obviously putting on her best imitation of Princess Relejimana, “I am the tallest girl in my class.There’s only one boy taller than I am, too!”

“I beg your pardon,” Battle said gravely, giving the ten-year-old a bow.”I should have realized, when I saw your fighting skills.Please forgive me, Princess Natalie.”

Startled by the compliment, Natalie couldn’t help blushing, dropping her haughty stance to toe the ground.”Y’really think I’m good?Winter’s been training me, kinda in secret, for like a year now.”

“I’m not in the habit of paying compliments where none are due,” Battle assured her, smiling.

“We need to find the others,” Captain said, having finished his examination of the room.”This place defies my sensors.In one room they work, in another they do not.I cannot tell where any of these doorways lead.”

“Not that either of them are of much use,” Battle said.

“I’ve gotta idea!” Natalie chirped, turning to Pan.The spirit-creature had been watching the girl ever since she had told it to sit.It raised its oversized ears now, green optic fixed on her form.”Pan, sudo, grep Artos!”

Instantly the large cat-like beast stood and turned to the doorway blocked by rubble, beginning to dig at it.”What did you tell it to do, Princess?”Battle asked.

“To find Artos,” Natalie replied.Her expression turned sheepish.”Uh, but I forgot to put a limit on where it was supposed to look.Sorry.”

“As long as it leads us to the others,” Battle said, moving to help Pan dig, “it can look wherever it wants.”

 

**

 

“One of these days,” came Zero’s driest tones, “I will become accustomed to waking upon the floor, I swear it.”

The floor the two Royal Knights were laying on was so thick with dust that Winter could hear it crunching under her when she moved, like so much sand.Her slight laugh at the Winged Knight’s comment turned to a soft groan on trying to lift her head; new dents were making themselves known across her form.Hearing movement to her left, the Knight of the Golden Maelstrom looked over and found herself face to face with a rock slab.Her eyes becoming accustomed to the darkness, she realized the room she was in wasn’t dark due to absence of light but that she was laying on her back beneath two precariously balanced pieces of rubble.Taking a careful breath and momentarily marveling at the sensation of _not_ having to cough despite the tickle of dust in her throat, she began making her way free of her ’shelter’.”It could be worse,” she couldn’t help saying, making sure Qurn’s wings didn’t touch anything, “it could be raining.”

“You two sound okay,” came a voice from Winter’s right and she looked over to see Shute helping Princess Rele to her feet.To her dismay, none of the rest of their group could be seen.Spotting her weapon under a smaller bit of rubble, Winter yanked it free before trotting over to the two humans.

“Your Highness,” Zero said, floating over to the small group after freeing his own sword and shield.”Shute, are the two of you all right?”

“We’re all right,” Rele said softly, looking as tired as she sounded.The young woman was leaning against Shute, though the youth’s grass-green eyes were now fixed on a point in the ceiling.Curiosity getting the better of her, Winter followed his gaze and when she realized what she was seeing, her hand shot out and grabbed Zero’s arm, thankfully not injuring him with the claws she had forgotten were adorning her wrists.

“Zero,” she whispered, “look up.Is that–?”

Princess Rele and Zero both looked up at the same time, Zero giving a cry almost instantly.”Fenn!”The Winged Knight freed himself without trouble from Winter’s lax grip, swiftly flying up to his friend and partner.Fenn roared, throwing himself against the magical barrier keeping him captive moments before a hand easily the same size as Zero swept out of the shadows and swatted the Royal Knight to the ground, cackling laughter covering his groan.Winter cast a hasty magical shield over Shute and Rele and dashed to stand over the Winged Knight, Qurn’s golden wings flared as wide as they would go.

A huge gundam, close to twenty feet tall, stepped from the shadows, the expression in its red stained aquamarine eyes puzzled.It stooped slightly, reaching for Winter.”Tallgeese?”It asked, its voice a deeper version of one Zero found chillingly familiar.Anger sizzling in her circuits, Winter watched the hand come closer and in a swift move, brought the Maelstrom Blade down on the first knuckle of the index finger as hard as she could, the magical blade biting deep into the joint.

“I am Winter!”She cried over the shout of pain the blow extracted from her opponent.”Royal Knight of the Golden Maelstrom!You shall not harm Zero, nor any other!”

“Hmph,” the large gundam said, cradling his injured hand to his chest carefully.”Don’t expect me to be impressed, little girl.Tricking the Sacred Gryphon into melding with you isn’t exactly a difficult task.”

“The Gryphon is my willing partner,” Winter spat. _Easy,_ she cautioned Qurn in the back of her mind, feeling the Spirit Beast mantling and bristling with rage.

_That_ has _to be Deathscythe,_ he hissed.

“It is,” Zero said, having picked himself up off the floor during their exchange.”How he got this body–”

“It was a gift!”Deathscythe crowed, his double-bladed scythe appearing before him.He reached to grasp it with one hand and both Royal Knights could feel the sickening surge of Dark Mana.”And it will be the instrument of your destruction, you petty imbeciles!Dark Claw!”

The spell was cast with such speed that neither Winter nor Zero had time to counter it. Both were blown backward, Qurn’s wings working hard in an attempt to keep from getting slammed against the wall. “We have to work together,” Zero said, having crossed his arms in front of his face to protect it. “Qurn is faster in the air than I am. Go at him from above, I’ll go in from below. What spells do you two share?”

“None that I know of,” Winter said. “Other than the Gryphon’s Claw. Deathscythe would be familiar with that. I will stick to my own spells so we are at more of an advantage.”

_Which I will lend my power to,_ Qurn put in.

Zero nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out to ready himself for the fight. “Winter–” he started, his electric blue eyes full of meaning.

“And I as well,” Winter replied, offering a slight smile and incline of her head.Without another word she and Qurn lept for the ceiling, gaining altitude quickly in an attempt to attack Deathscythe from above.The ceiling wasn’t much higher than the Knight of Darkness himself, but Winter reached it within a breath, a quick flick of Qurn’s wings sending her into a spin, sword whistling in the air. “Snow Blade!”

“Violet Tornado!” Zero cried at precisely the same moment, sending the wind spell speeding toward Deathscythe from another angle, making it impossible for the much larger gundam to dodge one attack without stepping right into the path of the other. At the edge of his hearing he caught Shute and Rele calling their encouragement and spared a moment to hope the two wouldn’t catch Deathscythe’s attention.

Both attacks slammed into the Knight of Darkness at full force, sending him staggering back. Taking a chance, Zero tried for Fenn’s cage again but a searing pain bit into one leg, engulfing it from the knee down. He looked down and found Deathscythe had grabbed that leg and was squeezing with all his might. “Stupid Winged Knight,” the Knight of Darkness said, “bringing Rele right to me.I get my revenge on you and my future wife in a single stroke!”

“The Princess would never consent to wed you,” Zero stated, slamming the pointed end of his shield down on Deathscythe’s wrist. Though the large gundam cried out, he didn’t let go, instead shifting his grip so he had both of Zero’s legs in his grasp. The Winged Knight grunted, hearing the gundaniam of his legs creak under the pressure of Deathscythe’s hold.

“Frost Bite!”

The sound of Winter’s new voice hissing a spell he was unfamiliar with grabbed what little of Zero’s attention could be wrenched from the pain in his legs.The hand holding him abruptly let go and he crashed to the ground, howling. Winter caught Zero by the collar and hauled him away, landing carefully across the room. “I thought you said you didn’t have any new spells,” Zero said, leaning on her while he got his legs working again.

“I am not entirely sure what that spell does,” Winter confessed, holding him carefully. “It seems to be effective, though. How badly are you hurt?”

“No permanent damage,” Zero said, finally able to stand straight. “Don’t let him grab you.”

“I will not,” Winter replied. “I have the feeling he would fall under a Triple Attack, but as we do not have Baku and Captain, we will have to make do.”

“Agreed,” Zero murmured.

The two didn’t have time for any other discussion, Deathscythe climbing back to his feet with a roar and sending a wave of Dark Mana in their direction. Each Royal Knight dove in the opposite direction then took to the air, renewing their attack. Winter darted in close and swiped at Deathscythe’s face with her blade, driving it hard against the jewel in his visor. A jagged crack appeared but Winter wasn’t able to get out of the way fast enough to avoid getting backhanded against the wall, the blow forcing a cry from her. She slumped to the ground, a tangle of silver armor and golden feathers.

Zero saw the moment Winter hit the ground the shield around Shute and Rele dissipated, showing Winter’s loss of consciousness.Swiftly, he cast another shield, watching it spring into being just in time to prevent a piece of rubble from crushing the two humans. Knowing the battle was likely to get more dangerous, not less, for the pair, he caught Shute’s attention and pointed at the only door he could see, trying to signal to the man that he was to get Rele out. Though Shute nodded Rele gave a fierce shake of her head, crossing her arms over her chest. Distracted, Zero never noticed Deathscythe coming up behind him.He only realized his mistake when the Knight of Darkness grabbed him by the cape and hurled him across the room.

“Don’t worry about the Princess,” Deathscythe taunted, giving a mad laugh, “worry more about yourself!I’ll take good care of her!”

Laying on his back in a pile of rubble, Zero knew he had to rejoin the battle or at least get himself to a safer place to recover his stride.His battered limbs were frighteningly slow to respond, despite the orders his mind was screaming at them. Movement from overhead caught his flagging attention and he looked up, watching in absent fascination as a figure made its way carefully down the chains holding Fenn’s cage. A flash of light came from Deathscythe’s direction and Zero heard Winter’s familiar battle cry. In that flash of light, he was able to identify the figure on Fenn’s cage: Nataku.

Somehow, despite the distance between them, the Bronze Knight looked up and met Zero’s dazed but swiftly focusing gaze. Nataku gave Zero a salute and reached down, breaking the lock holding the Feather Dragon captive.

His roar shaking the remains of the amphitheater, Fenn burst free of his confinement. Deathscythe, about to use a piece of rubble to crush Winter where she lay dazed and helpless, stopped short, jerking his head up to behold the very angry Spirit Beast.

“No!” He shouted, turning to hurl the rubble at Fenn. The Feather Dragon disintegrated the block of wall easily, hurling Deathscythe against the far wall with the same blast.

“Fenn!” Zero cried in relief, finally able to pry himself from where he had landed with a burst of renewed energy. The Feather Dragon turned to him and bathed Zero in a blaze of power, beginning the melding between them.


	18. Chapter 18

Not sparing a glance for either Royal Knight, Shute placed gentle hands on Rele’s shoulders and attempted to steer the Princess of Lacroa toward the door, hoping he wasn’t about to get slapped.”Zero wants you out of here,” he insisted again, knowing that the protest fell on deaf ears.

“So long as I am here,” Rele said, planting her feet, “Deathscythe won’t dare unleash all of his power.Look at the battle, Shute, they are barely holding their own against him now!”

“They also can’t unload on him while you’re here,” Shute cajoled, wondering if he dared pick up the stubborn young woman and simply carry her out of the room.Fortunately, Princess Rele move, though reluctantly, turning to watch the two Royal Knights battle Deathscythe as often as Shute would let her.Making a soft noise of relief when they arrived at the door, the young man reached for it, only to have it yanked open from the other side before he could touch it.An explosion from behind Shute prompted Kesshō to squeak, but the small ryuu bravely held her ground beside Bakunetsumaru.The Blazing Samurai stepped around Shute and Kesshō into the large, crumbling room, his brown eyes swiftly finding Zero and Winter.

“We lost Deed,” Claw announced in a snarl, obviously in a poor temper.The Shadow Knight was covered in scratches and dust, something which had to be contributing to her sour mood.”Princess, y’have me apologies.Ain’t had a sight a’ the blighter since that bloody blackout.”

“What in the world has Father done to Deathscythe?”Artos asked softly, gazing at the eighteen foot gundam the two Royal Knights were still battling.

“We need to get outta here!”Shute stated, trying to take command of the small group.”Where does that hallway go?”

“Further into the castle,” came a voice from the young man’s left.Everyone turned to look, recognizing the voice from just before the blackout.

“Nataku,” Artos and Rele said at the same time in varying degrees of happiness.The Bronze Knight bowed to both of them, one arm sweeping off the cloak he wore to reveal sky-blue and silver armor.”Princess Relejimana, Lord Artos, we mustn’t stand on formality at the moment and we have no time for questions.Your swift escape is imperative and I have done all I can to aid Zero in his battle with Deathscythe.Please follow the green marks I have left on the walls in the hall behind me: they will lead you to where you can get to safety.”

“We can’t just go without our companions,” Rele said.

“Yeah!”Kesshō piped up, peeking out from behind Bakunetsumaru at the strange Knight Gundam.”What about Natalie and Captain?”

“Lord du Bennr intends to destroy the fortress the moment he is away!” Nataku said, his tone thick with exasperation.”Your concern does you credit but I will–”

A form came hurtling out of the hallway behind Kesshō, easily leaping her and Baku to land between Nataku and Artos.Pan turned and gave a satisfied noise, shoving his head against Artos’ stomach.”Ooph,” the man said, stumbling slightly.”Pan?Where’d you come from?”

“Toldja it’d find ‘em!”Another voice said and everyone turned to see the missing members of their group, save Deed, approaching.Natalie waved and Captain simply nodded in greeting.

“Great,” Nataku barked, the colors of his armor sent into harsh contrast for a moment by an explosion from the fight still going on in the larger part of the room.”Now get going, the lot of you!”

“Good to see you as well,” Battle said mildly.The Bronze Knight shook his head, but took the hand the Crimson Knight offered to shake.Both of them saw the Crest of Lacroa glowing gold on the other’s shoulders.

“I’m to get you all out, Rock’s orders,” Nataku said, prompting Battle to stumble slightly in surprise.

“Where is Rock?” The Crimson Knight demanded, the others passing the two Knight Gundams with an ear for the conversation and an eye for the battle.”Is he not coming with us?”

Nataku gave a negative shake of his head, catching Captain by the shoulder as he passed.”The path is marked in green,” he told the soldier, pressing Captain’s beam rifle into his hands as he spoke.”We’ll bring up the rear.”

Falling silent, Battle watched Captain nod and make his way quickly to the front of the group.When Nataku offered him a copy of his old crossbow, the green-eyed gundam stared at it, then back at the Bronze Knight.Their gazes met for a long few seconds before they both turned without another word and hurried into the hallway behind the group.


	19. Chapter 19

The Maelstrom Blade’s tip dug into the shattered ground, Winter bracing her weight against it and one knee.Her other foot was planted on the ground but she lacked the strength to stand, even with Qurn’s assistance.The Gryphon was just about out of power as well, his tattered golden wings draped heavily behind her.The Royal Knight’s breath was coming hard and fast and she was blessing all the time she had spent building her endurance; without that training, she would no doubt be even worse off than she was now.The Knight of the Golden Maelstrom knew, however, that she and Zero were badly outmatched.No matter how much damage they did to Deathscythe, the Knight of Darkness didn’t seem to feel it for long, his Dark Mana giving him more strength than she had thought possible.

“Crow be damned if I’ll be givin’ up this easy,” she growled, slipping into Pirate Cant without realizing it.”Bloody bastard’ll go down if it be takin’ me own life t’take him down!”

“That may be what it takes,” Zero panted, having dropped to the ground next to her.Fenn’s feathers had lost their luster and Zero’s own armor, not in the best of shape before the battle, was cracked and pitted.”But I am glad to make this sacrifice, knowing Princess Rele is safe and you are at my side.”

Taking two more deep breaths to steady herself, Winter pushed herself to both feet, leaning on the Maelstrom Blade with only one hand.The other she used to reach for Zero while she spoke.”Yes.We can do this, beloved.We can take him down with our last breaths.”

They both noticed the sudden silence.A screech of _fear_ from their opponent brought their attention from each other to Deathscythe, disbelieving.The huge gundam was backpedaling quickly, doing his best to get away from two figures who had stepped in front of the two Royal Knights.One of the figures was shrouded in cloaks, making it impossible to tell who it was, only that the height was consistent for a gundam.The other Zero knew all too well.

“Deed,” he cried, but was brought up short when it penetrated what Deathscythe was screeching:

“Get away from me!Rock!How dare you bring that … that … _him_ here!Get him away from me!Get out of my sight!”

Two things occurred to the Knight of Silver Wings at once.Deathscythe was genuinely terrified of Deed for no reason Zero could fathom … and the figure covered by the brown cloak could only be the one Deathscythe was calling Rock.”Rock?” Zero asked softly.The shrouded figure turned and deep blue eyes met his own, sending a shock through his form.Though the other Knight Gundam didn’t speak, Zero knew instantly that this was indeed his former leader and mentor.The Knight of Silver Wings began to instinctively reach for the Knight of the Hot Sands but something in Rock’s gaze stopped him.Puzzled, Zero felt he had no choice but to turn his attention to Deed.”What are you doing here?”

“You should get out,” Deed said, watching Deathscythe quietly.”Your friends have already left.Please, Zero, take this Knight, go quickly and get far, far away.The coming explosion will probably level the fortress, if not the mountain itself.”

“I take it you are Deed,” Winter said, Qurn’s wings slowly lifting on her back.Though she was clearly at the end of her strength, her ice-blue eyes burned when she fixed them on the Knight of the Shining Blade.”From where shall this explosion come?”

“Deed and Deathscythe are two halves of the same soul,” Zero said, staring at the aquamarine eyed gundam before him.”Deathscythe knows neither of you will survive the soul coming together again, doesn’t he?This is why he fears you.Do you intend to sacrifice yourself for us?”

“I do,” Deed admitted.”It’s–”

“An act befitting a Royal Knight of Lacroa,” Zero interrupted.The Knight of Silver Wings had dropped his gaze to the Twin Buster Sword in his hand, expression impossible to read.”I can’t forgive you for what you did to our homeland,” he continued after a slight pause, glancing at Winter before finally meeting Deed’s gaze deliberately.”But you’re … obviously not that gundam any longer.”

Zero held out a hand.Deed stared, then hesitantly took it, drawing in a shuddering breath and letting it out slowly.”Thank you, Zero,” he whispered.

“Perhaps we shall meet again,” Zero said, still meeting Deed’s gaze, “in another, gentler, life.”

“I’d like that,” Deed whispered.”But I don’t think there will be any coming back from this.I mean not to.”

Nodding, Zero let go of Deed’s hand.Seeing that Rock had vanished during their brief conversation, the two Royal Knights made their tired way from the fortress as fast as they could, not looking back.With one arm slung over Zero’s shoulder and their golden and silver wings intertwined, Winter helped her paramour as much as he helped her, mentally assuring Qurn that she didn’t care if he didn’t have any more strength to give her. _Hush.I don’t want the meld to end just yet.We leave the same way we came, Qurn._

The abrupt ending of the hallway into a frozen and windswept courtyard caught both of them by surprise and they stumbled into the snow, Zero going to one knee. Winter stood over him, gasping for breath, eyes shut, trying to dredge some kind of strength from some forgotten corner of body or gunsoul. _Why did I train for eight years past a broken throat if not for endurance to last?_ She thought, desperately reaching for _something_ to help her get both of them out alive. _I will not give up here!_

The snow and ice beneath her evaporated and she felt the cold seep upward through her feet and into her legs, seeming to steady them. Reaching further, she drew the cold from the air in her intakes and the air around her into her body to ease her aching arms and back. _Pull strength from the world around you,_ Falcon Freeborn, Captain of the Sky Ship _Swallow’s Rest_ had once told her.She hadn’t known how to do such a thing then but in her desperation she had instinctively discovered how to do it now. “Mana,” she said softly her smooth deep tones causing the life stream around her to perk in interest at the call, “of the Universe and All Living Things. Mana of the Seven Stars. Mana of the Cold. By your pact with this Knight of Silent Frost, lend me your strength.”

“Mana of the Wind,” she heard Zero add, only realizing then that he had joined her in the spell. “Mana of Storm and Tide.Mana of the Compass Rose, by your pact with this Winged Knight, lend us your Power.”Both Royal Knights felt vigor flood their bodies and got to their feet, though slowly. They both instinctively knew this would have be their last effort. The power feeding their movements now had a price, after all.

A rope fell out of the sky and landed in front of them, its end long enough to curl in the snow. Both Knights were too weary to be startled and simply looked up, glancing at each other to confirm that they were both seeing a mass of curved brown wood protected in places with glistening metal plates over their heads. As deeply seated as the two were in the Mana stream they could see the silver and white magic glistening between each plank and in a veneer over the metal.

“Move, y’half mad idjits!” Kestrel shouted, her head appearing over the railing of the _Sparrow’s Pride_ at the other end of the rope. “Grab th’ bloody rope!”

“We had best do as she says,” Winter stated, grinning slightly.

“She might leave without us,” Zero agreed.Wings still intertwined, they both took a strong grip on the rope with their free hand.Moments later, they were over the rail and picking themselves up off of the deck of _Sparrow’s Pride_ , relieved to see all of their friends had made it out of the fortress.

“Where’s Rock?” Battle demanded, pushing forward.”If he’s not with you, we must go back for him!”

“Belay that,” Kestrel snapped, stepping between the Crimson Knight and Zero, but not to protect either Knight Gundam.”We’ll be needin’ Zero’s wind-walkin’ ways t’get us outta here.”She turned to the Royal Knight, glaring.”Get’cher aft into the air, use those shiny new wings an’ get us a tail-wind or we’ll be naught but a bit a’metal ‘tween splinters when we arrive t’the Locker!”

Knowing that the Sky Ship’s captain was entirely correct, Zero spared only a moment for an apologetic look to Battle before making his way as swiftly as he could to the aft castle, not having to look back to know that Winter was right behind him.The Knight of Silver Wings raised a hand to summon the wind and for a long moment, it looked like the spell wasn’t going to work.Within seconds, however, a strong gale had the sails straining against the ropes holding them fast to the ship and _Sparrow’s Pride_ was moving as only a Sky Ship could through the air.

Battle, Nataku and Kestrel had followed them to the poop deck. Kestrel manned the wheel while Nataku tried to keep Battle from cornering Zero and Winter. “Well?” The Crimson Knight demanded, not backing off when Winter bristled at his tone. “Where is Rock? Why isn’t he with you?!”

“Rock never meant to leave the fortress.”

Battle turned on Nataku, sage green eyes blazing. “What?! That’s impossible!”

“Rock bore the brunt of Iswyn’s madness,” Nataku snapped, silencing the Crimson Knight.”He was there for a year before even I was found!He was put through experiments that you would not believe and would get sick to hear!”

Dropping his gaze to the deck, Battle only looked up when Nataku placed a surprisingly gentle hand on his fellow Knight Gundam’s shoulder.”After Zero rejoined us to the Mana Stream,” the Bronze Knight continued, “when Rock realized there was hope yet for the two of us to get out … he was dying, Battle.He wouldn’t have lived the month out even if he had come with us.He wants his death to mean something.”

“Death is still death,” Battle said bitterly.”I lost him once, Nataku–”

“This death will be final,” Nataku agreed, “but he plans to use it for the greater good, to serve Lacroa as best he can, still.He means to kill Iswyn.”

 

**

 

The black cloak, ripped off by the gale Zero had summoned, went flying into the storm. A flash of dim light off of metal caught Iswyn’s attention and he turned, shocked beyond measure to see Rock with Deed’s scythe, the Crest of Lacroa on it and on one of Rock’s shoulders glowing a fierce gold.The other shoulder was a pitted mess, the crest gone and the arm itself ending just above where his elbow should have been.The jewels on Rock’s visor and chest which had been cracked long ago were now glowing, almost bleeding light into the storm from their ragged edges.

“You treacherous abomination–” Iswyn hissed, reaching for a weapon at his belt.He only knew it had been stolen when his hand closed on empty space.

“You’re the abomination,” Rock said, his voice grating out past a half-shattered mask and silencing the man across from him who hadn’t known the gundam had regained his ability to speak. “You’re disgusting and short-sighted. Yes, you have a staggering intellect but unlike your son you don’t have the morals to match. He realized that what you were doing was wrong when he was a child!”

“How dare you!” Iswyn sputtered, advancing on the gundam and towering over him despite the blade held in the Knight’s remaining hand. “I am your lord! Your master! Your better in every way, simply by being human! You’re nothing but a wretched, misbegotten creature, not worthy of the soul which grants you bare sentience, much less intelligence!”

“I am better than you, _Lord_ Iswyn,” Rock stated, raising the scythe to strike, “at least I _have_ a soul!”

“You’re nothing but a soul in a metal shell!” Iswyn screamed, spittle flying from his mouth to freeze and be whipped away by the wind.

“I am a Knight of Lacroa!” Rock cried in defiance, “and proud to be!”

Driven beyond reason with rage at the defiance of the being he considered to be nothing more than his possession, Iswyn threw himself forward, tackling Rock into the snow.The Knight of Hot Sands was knocked off balance and together human and gundam went tumbling, coming to an abrupt halt at the threshold of the doorway they had just escaped from.Despite having landed on top, Rock’s damage made his reorientation slow, giving Iswyn the chance to scramble out from under him and charge deeper into the fortress.The man used every chance he got to throw pieces of rubble and broken furniture at the appropriation of the avenging Knight Gundam who pursued him relentlessly, no matter the obstacle the human hurled into his path.

Stumbling to his hands and knees, Iswyn cursed in pain, looking wildly for a new weapon in the rubble around him.In his headlong scramble, he had paid no heed to where he was running and was completely lost in his own fortress but at the moment all that mattered was the momentary silence that fell; the man was confident that Rock had fallen too far behind to find him.He was reaching for a piece of rebar with a chunk of concrete cemented to the end when the butt of Deed’s scythe swept his feet from under him and he crashed to the ground again, rolling onto his back with his hands in front of his face.”No!”He cried out of instinct.Never a stupid man, his mind worked quickly and seized on a desperate plan.”No!”he cried again, “I yield!You can’t harm any who yield to you!It’s against your Code of Chivalry!”

Quiet fell.Iswyn lowered his hands slightly only to find Rock’s ocean-blue gaze pinning him in place.”Well then,” the Knight Gundam growled, “it’s good you shattered that part of me, isn’t it?”

The exiled lord’s eyes went wide and he dropped his hands to the floor, doing his level best to scramble out of the range of the downward sweep of the scythe.This movement, and a desperate kick from the man at Rock’s knee, caused the Knight Gundam’s aim to falter.Instead of getting Iswyn’s neck, like he had intended, he got his former master’s eyes, the keep age of the blade making a clean cut.The man screamed, his hands going to his face to cover the horrific wound.”My eyes!”He screeched, “you’ve blinded me!I can’t see-my eyes, my eyes!”

“Rot in the abyss,” Rock whispered, swinging the bloody scythe again and this time catching his intended target.Iswyn’s life blood drenched his front, seeping into his cracked and broken circuits.Movement caught Rock’s attention while he watched the human in front of him die and he looked up to see Deed, who had finally managed to corner Deathscythe.The former Royal Knight was moving closer to his worse half, looking, for the first time since Rock had seen him in this life, peaceful. The Knight of the Shining Blade took two running steps and lept toward Deathscythe, closing his aquamarine eyes with his arms flung wide.


	20. Chapter 20

“It’s coming,” Nataku said, his red eyes fixed on the fortress.

“We’re not far enough away,” Battle whispered, hands clenched.

Winter and Zero looked at each other and nodded, throwing themselves into the air above and behind the ship. Winter’s left hand twined in with Zero’s right and they put their free hands palm-out in front of them, blending the very last of the strength given to them by Fenn, Qurn and the world around them, into one last spell. They both cried: “Shield of the Ages!”

The following slash of light was so bright that even the ship seemed to cry out in pain.Even with the Shield of the Ages in place, the _Sparrow’s Pride_ was pushed back out to sea, only steadying in her course when Kestrel managed to grab the wheel and stop its spinning.The Pirate Captain heard two _thumps_ behind her but didn’t dare open her eyes, or the ship’s eyes, for almost ten more minutes.

“We be alive, at least,” came Claw’s rough tones.”C’mon, niece, open yer peepers.It be safe enough.”

The two thumps had been Zero and Winter, who were laying lifelessly on the deck, every gram of Mana drained from their forms.Kestrel could feel, however, the bits of life their gunsouls still held and nodded, getting to her feet.”They live,” she said, turning back to the wheel.”Get ‘em below, where they can rest.”

 

**

 

Those to survive the explosion aboard the _Sparrow’s Pride_ learned on their return that the blast had been so powerful it was felt in the capital city of Lacroa as an earthquake.Every mage in Lacroa from adept to untrained felt the surge of Mana and later described it like a tidal wave in the Mana Stream.No one could agree whether the outcry they all heard was one of profound relief or agonizing pain.None knew until a week later, when _Sparrow’s Pride_ limped into the Port of Roses, what had caused the disturbance.

The proud Sky Ship was still flying the flag of the Freeborn Pirate Isles above her tattered sails, missing bowspit and forcefully shortened masts.A Royal Convoy was awaiting the ship-o-war, the King and Queen looking alternately furious and appeased by the sight of the battered ship and their daughter standing at the rail.Princess Relejimana was the first to make her way down the gangway, swept into a firm hug by both of her parents.King Zeon and Queen Katrina ended up being so relieved that Princess Rele was hale and whole that their carefully planned and worded reprimands were completely forgotten.Claw, Natalie, Shute and Captain were next down the plank, Natalie walking with her sword at her belt, her head high and Shute’s hand on her shoulder.Shute himself looked much better, though the healing cuts and bruises were still clear on his face.

Claw, the damage sustained to her armor during the fight having already been healed and repaired by Princess Rele, looked around quietly.When she spotted Fang among the Knight Gundams providing export for the Royal Family, his brown eyes fixed on her and tail giving a happy wag, something in her shoulders relaxed.To Fang’s obvious surprise, the cat gundam claimed her sibling in a firm hug, which he returned without hesitation.Bakunetsumaru and Kesshō, having disembarked during this display, watched the siblings with almost identical grins.They had noticed how restless Claw had gotten during the return trip, even admitting once to Kesshō to being unaccustomed to being so far from her remaining siblings for so long.

When the next two gundams appeared at the top of the gangplank, silence rippled over the greeting party and as much of the dock who could see and recognized them.Ignoring everyone but the Royal Family, Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus and Nataku, Bronze Knight, made their way down and knelt before their King and Queen, heads bowed and weapons at their feet.Looking over from where she still had an arm around her sibling, Claw watched for a few moments before letting Fang go and crossing to stand between the former Royal Knights almost defiantly, one hand on Nataku’s shoulder. Finally the King and Queen recovered from their shock and smiled, motioning for the two Knights to stand. They all knew that there was quite the story to be told, with the return of two such famous Knight Gundams to Lacroa soil.

“Mother,” Princess Rele said catching her parents’ attention as Artos descended to the dock, “Father, I would like to present Artos du Bennr.He was instrumental in the rescue of our captured comrades and allies and in keeping me safe during our trials.”

“Majesties,” Nataku said, stepping forward, “Artos du Bennr is nothing like his father or grandfather.He is a true and noble man who attempted to protect myself and Battle as much as he could before he left his father’s fortress with the intent of warning Lacroa of his father’s plans.”

“He always treated us with kindness and dignity,” Battle agreed, “all of us.Without him, I don’t doubt that any of us would be standing here today.”

“Ain’t played us false,” Claw put in, standing unflinchingly under the gazes of the King and Queen.Bakunetsumaru, Natalie and Kesshō noticed with amusement that the Smoke Knight was holding Nataku’s hand, a gesture hidden from the King and Queen by the press of bodies.”Had ample chance t’do so, in th’ blizzard an’ the fortress proper.”

“We will take all of this into consideration,” King Zeon said, not unkindly.”For the moment, Artos du Bennr, welcome to Lacroa.”

The Queen’s gaze picked over the returning figures and very quickly noted the absence of two key members of their party. “But what of Zero and Winter?” she asked into an abrupt silence.

While everyone else exchanged startled and blank glances, having expected the two Royal Knights to be among the first off the shift for their share of the glory if nothing else, Claw and Nataku met gazes and grinned at each other.”Did none bother t’tell our heroes we be makin’ port?” Claw drawled, resting her free clawed gauntlet on her hip.Unable to help themselves, Natalie and Kesshō descended into giggles and Bakunetsumaru, with a long-suffering sigh, returned to the ship.

“Why would they need to be told?”Katrina asked, frowning.

“They pushed themselves beyond their means,” Princess Rele explained, “and cast Shield of the Ages to protect the ship from the explosion.They were already exhausted from the battle, then to cast such a spell, even jointly–”

“Magic fatigue,” the Queen realized, a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.”Didn’t you tell me, daughter, that Zero has pushed himself this far once before?”

“He is a Royal Knight,” Rele defended, “our Champion and our Savior of Lacroa.He continues to prove his worthiness of his titles.”

“It sounds as though,” Battle murmured, “he needs to learn the other half of the vows we take.To _live_ for Lacroa, beyond being willing to give his life for our beloved homeland.”

“I believe he is,” Rele said loyally.Claw, Fang and the other Knight Gundams standing in the loose arrangement around the Royal Family, nodded their agreement.

“He and Winter have mostly recovered,” Captain put in.

“Just narcoleptic,” Shute added.

“It makes ‘em grumpy when we wake them up and send them to bed,” Natalie said with a grin.

“They worked hard to rescue and protect us,” Artos said, “they have earned their rest a hundred fold.”

The Blazing Samurai returned alone a few minutes later, expression aggravated.Rele’s own expression ticked to a frown, not able to see the identical mischievous sparkles in the eyes of Claw and Nataku.”They weren’t there,” Bakunetsumaru announced once he reached the end of the gangplank.Catching the looks from Nataku and Claw, he glared at them, his posture daring them to speak.

It was Kestrel, still aboard her Sky Ship, who gave the answer. “Your two Royal Knights?” She asked idly, leaning against the rail. “Thought I told’ja, Princess. They disembarked yestermorn. Needed more time, they did, an’ they knew they were na’ gonna get it in Lacroa, them bein’ such popular heroes. Coulda sworn I let’cha know.”

“They didn’t even say goodbye!” Baku groused, “some mannered, elegant knight Zero really is.”

“He said goodbye,” Nataku said, flicking a piece of imaginary dust off of his gleaming white armor. “Didn’t he, Battle?”

“You’ll not include me in your mischief,” the other Knight denied, shaking his head. The Crimson Knight turned to the Royal Family and bowed, his maroon cape lifting slightly in the gentle breeze. “Please, Majesties, we should move to a safer location, where we can tell you the full story of our revival and imprisonment.”


	21. Chapter 21

The tales had been told. Bakunetsumaru and Kesshō had returned to their home, needing to let their friends and allies in Ark know that they were safe.Shute, Natalie, Captain and, to everyone’s surprise, Pan, left for NeoTopia. It was Natalie who explained it best: Pan would never be accepted in Lacroa.It was a true abomination, a mix of Spirit Beast and gundam.No one really knew how long it would live, if it had a gunsoul or if it was sentient.Only in NeoTopia would it be able to have true peace while the scientists of the SDG figured out how long it would be around and how to help it live as happy a life as they could.Natalie and Shute promised Artos that they would make sure Pan was taken care of with kindness.

Battle and Nataku were not yet approached by the Royal Family to retake their positions as Royal Knights but neither Knight Gundam minded.They were busy getting used to the new generation of Knights and how Zero had organized things in their absence.Between their own duties, Fang and Claw helped the two Knight Gundams acclimate whenever the Bronze Knight and Crimson Knight would let them.

“It’s been nigh a decade since you last be in Lacroa,” Fang pointed out to Battle over to mugs of Moss Green late one night.The Crimson Knight leaned back in his chair, nodding at the Knight of the Hunt in agreement.

“I feel disoriented,” he admitted, his sage-green eyes fixed on the fire burning merrily in the fireplace.His armor seemed to reflect the glow of the flames and Fang had already noticed the Crimson Knight not seeming to mind the hottest of temperatures.”It’s almost like being in a dream.Or as though my death and imprisonment was a dream.I am here, home, and yet–”

“Somethin’ new peeks at’cha from behind a bush,” Fang completed, a gentle smile in his tone.”Or a buildin’ y’knew as a lad not be where you be expectin’ it t’be.But that ain’t why you sought out this ol’ scoundrel when we both should be abed.You’ll be wantin’ answers, like’s not.True ones.”

“Yes,” Battle said, placing his mug aside and leaning forward until his elbows were resting on his knees.”I heard the story of the Fall of Lacroa from those involved.I heard the story of Lacroa’s Revival, two and a half years later.But, Fang, _Zero_. He isn’t the Winged Knight that I remember.Perhaps I caught him at his worst, to be so contrary, stoic to the point of being downright grim.Only in the moments when he was teasing that Musha did I see shades of the Knight I knew and even then, there was an edge to his jests.”

“Aye,” Fang agreed, taking a sip from the steaming liquid in his mug.”Our Zero don’t trust easy, don’t jest easy, is as like to be affronted by friendly teasin’ as he is to play along.Once burst into a room just ’cause I’d walked a ways with my arm ’round the Lady Knight’s shoulders.He be jealous, that one … high strung.Only times I’ve seen ‘im truly light-hearted is ’round Rele, Winter or Fenn.Even then, jollyin’ him be a hard thing t’do.He be takin’ his role an’ life serious.”

“Rock was like that,” Battle sighed.He reached up to rub one of the Crests of Lacroa adorning his shoulders.”Spirit Tree guard him.I suppose it’s the weight of responsibility, causing some of Zero’s stoicism.It’s hard to see; he was such a happy youngster.Rock called him a prankster, more than once.”

“Zero?”Fang questioned.”I suppose I can see that, with how he treats Bakunetsumaru.He’d be the gundam t’talk to, Battle.He’s Zero’s best friend.”

“The Blazing Samurai is suspicious of my questions,” Battle said, the firelight reflecting a slight grimace in his eyes.”I cornered him on the _Sparrow’s Pride_.I underestimated how fiercely protective all of the Gundam Force is of Zero.”

“All gundams as know Zero truly be protective of ‘im,” Fang pointed out with a smile.  ”He moves ‘em with his selflessness, his nobility.They love ‘im.Y’know.”The Knight of the Hunt fell quiet without completing the thought, causing Battle to move his gaze from the fire to the gundam from the Pirate Isles.

“Yes?”He asked.

“Y’should go t’NeoTopia,” Fang said finally.”With Zero, when he returns.”

“Leave Lacroa?”Battle’s shock was clear in his tone.”Why?”

The big wolf-gundam gave the Knight Gundam an amused look.”Y’can’t spend the rest of your days in one land, lad.”

“Knight Gundams are not given to travel,” Battle stated, obviously growing irritated when Fang’s amused look didn’t change.”We are created in Lacroa and in Lacroa is where we serve.”

“That be so?”the Knight of the Hunt asked, his tone musing.”Knight Gundams ain’t given t’roam permanent, like, aye.But th’ best Knights we got ain’t been stationary.Most border patrols be run by Knight squads, Kibaomaru, Governor of the Pirate Isles, he be havin’ a few Knights under his command, sent there by Zero t’learn tolerance.Others be in Ark with th’ DaiShogun, much for the same reason.”

Battle was staring at Fang in sharp disbelief.”A Knight’s place is in Lacroa!”He said, sitting up straight.”Perhaps you don’t understand, not being of Lacroa yourself–”

The gentle look in Fang’s brown eyes abruptly changed and Battle found himself leaning away from the formerly smiling gundam.”I was raised by two Knight Gundams,” Fang said, his Isles accent completely gone.”My three siblings and I were raised with their beloved Code of Chivalry, so we could best fight Admiral Lodarian of the Dark Axis.They instilled in all of us a fierce love of all things good and just.Talon’s mind snapped when they were killed.He became obsessed with the idea that the only way to gain justice was to join with Lodarian and bring the world to order by force.I had shunned the fighting arts but when they were killed, I became the best hand-to-hand fighter I possibly could, so I would never fail in protecting who and what I loved ever again.Claw calls me berserk and she is not wrong.

“I am Fang, Royal Knight of the Hunt and would not be here were I not just as much ‘of Lacroa’ as any Knight Gundam created of the Spirit Tree and on her soil.Zero saw that in my sister and I when we first met him, without knowing our backgrounds, and helped us to see it in ourselves.These are our people.This is our home.”

For the first time Battle saw Fang for the dangerous Knight he was and bowed his respect for the other warrior.”You have my apologies,” he said, straightening.”I show my ignorance, I suppose.I never want to leave Lacroa again.How can Zero justify forcing the young Knight Gundams to go?”

“A Knight must be tolerant,” Fang replied mildly, the fierceness gone from his form as abruptly as it had appeared.His accent also returned and Battle found himself relaxing along with the large wolf-gundam.”How can a Knight be tolerant of folk of other lands if he ain’t _been_ t’said other lands?How’s a Knight t’know they truly love Lacroa if they ain’t been elsewhere?A Knight’s gotta be learned.A Knight must be wise t’the ways of the world.Zero learned this when he was banished an’ so tries t’teach them as look t’him for wisdom the same thing.He don’t want Lacroa’s sufferin’ t’be for naught.An’ he don’t want it to happen again.”

“Zero wasn’t _banished_ ,” Battle protested.”It was Prophecy, not punishment, which sent him away!”

“That be a talk you’ll have t’have with our Winged Knight,” Fang said, watching Battle calmly.”When he be returnin’.”

“Nearly everyone refers to him as such,” Battle said after a long silence.

“As what?” Fang asked.He had moved to a bookshelf in the room and picked up one of the books there, examining the pages carefully.Briefly Battle wondered if the wolf-gundam knew how to read.

“They never say ‘the’ Winged Knight,” Battle pointed out.”Unless they’re using his official title.It’s always ‘our’ Winged Knight, ‘our’ Zero, ‘our’ Champion and Savior.Why?”

Fang didn’t answer immediately, replacing the book on the shelf and turning his gaze to the fire.”Suppose it be the same reason we be callin’ Winter our Lady Knight.There be other lasses in th’ Knights, but she be the only one with the title.It be obvious they both be givin’ their lives for Lacroa, each other an’ any one’a us.We be proud t’have such dedicated an’ selfless Royal Knights at our command.”

“Then where are they now?”Battle wondered, standing and crossing the room to stand at the dark window.The weather patterns had settled down since the explosion but Autumn had been short and the cold season had come to Lacroa quickly, filling its skies with heavy clouds.”The ceremony that ends Artos’ official exile is the day after tomorrow.”

“Aye,” Fang agreed, giving a languid stretch.”As be your an’ Nataku’s promotions t’the ranks of Royal Knight.I, for one, will be glad of the company.Three gundams doin’ the work a’ five ain’t been easy, these last years.”

“I can only imagine,” Battle agreed, falling into step alongside Fang to leave the room.”There was work enough for more than five when I was last a Royal Knight.Well, my friend, Nataku and I are here and ready to lighten your load.”

“Glad t’hear it, mate,” Fang chuckled, clapping a hand onto the Crimson Knight’s shoulder in a friendly manner.”We all be glad for your return.”

 

**

 

“I still don’t see how this is going to work,” Battle muttered, glancing at himself in a mirror to make sure his official armor wasn’t marred in any way.The Knight of the Crimson Lotus knew he and Nataku were alone, so didn’t feel inclined to keep his opinions to himself.Nataku was behind him and gave his fellow Knight Gundam a curious look.

“Why not?”He asked, garnet eyes amused.His eyes were often amused, since the two Knights had returned to the castle.”You do remember the ceremony, don’t you?”

“Of course I remember the ceremony,” Battle said crossly.”I put you through it.But it requires at least two Royal Knights and there’s only one in the land.”

“Relax,” Nataku advised, adjusting his dark blue cape so it fell properly from his shoulders.I’m sure they have it all figured out.”He paused, turning to face his long-time friend.”Perhaps they’ll use Claw.She’s been in the Knights long enough to be considered of the rank Royal, without the official title.”

“Speaking of the lady,” Battle said, facing Nataku, ” I saw you coming from her rooms this morning.”

“And?”Nataku asked, a certain smugness to his tone.’

“Aren’t you moving a bit fast?”Battle asked, disapproval thick in his voice.”You’ve only known the lady for–”

“Claw and I understand each other,” Nataku stated, his expression finally growing serious.”You know as well as I do that the machine ripped away all that was good and decent about me.I didn’t hate myself, like Deed did, so it all simply vanished into nothing, or so we thought.When Zero returned us to the Mana Stream part of what I lost was restored, but only part.”The Bronze Knight turned away again, his red eyes reflecting the light pouring through a nearby window.”You were lucky to have only your memories … and simply removed from the Mana Stream before Rock managed to sabotage the machine.”

“Simply.”Battle shuddered, crossing to place a hand on Nataku’s shoulder.”I’m sorry.My mind is still reeling with the changes … everywhere.I think I’m searching for _some_ normalcy … something that remained the same.Some kind of … corner stone, that I can use to brace myself.”

The Bronze Knight nodded, raising a hand to cover Battle’s.”I know.We’ll find it for you, don’t worry.But right now, it’s time to regain the place we lost.Take comfort in that, at least.”


	22. Chapter 22

The day was unexpectedly brilliant, the clouds which had plagued the sky for the last week nowhere to be seen.The two Knight Gundams stepped from the antechamber into the Throne Room, splendid in their complete armor, shining in health and confidence.Those gathered, including the Gundam Force, Natalie and Kesshō, were wearing their finest, making the chamber bright with rich clothes and sun-touched jewels.The King and Queen sat upon their thrones, Princess Relejimana standing between them with a sword on her left hip.Fang stood before them in his place, looking mighty yet somehow forlorn, alone on a terrace meant for five.

“Who are the Knights who seek to rise above all others and give their lives to guarding Our Royal Selves?” King Zeon asked, beginning the ceremony.

“Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus,” Fang replied, using the words scripted by some forgotten hand, long ago. “And Nataku, the Bronze Knight.”

“These names are familiar to Us,” the Queen said, her gaze fixed on the two Knight Gundams. “Let them come forward.”

Together Nataku and Battle crossed the room, going to one knee before the Royal Family, heads bowed. “These are the Knights,” Fang said, his normal accent gone, “whom have shown themselves to be valiant in battle, elegant in manner and strict in their following of the Code of Chivalry we all love. They are kind, they are tolerant, they are dignified and have done the land of Lacroa no ill, in thought or action.”

“Who sponsors these Knights?” Princess Relejimana asked. “Whom among the Royal Knights believes them worthy of joining your ranks?”

This was the moment Battle had been worried about. Fang wasn’t permitted to sponsor either Knight, since his role was the one of introduction. The Crimson Knight tensed, unable to help clenching his hands into fists. Slight movement from his right caught his attention and he saw Nataku making a very subtle ‘relax’ gesture.

“We do,” came a voice from behind the kneeling Knights. It was dark, rich and smooth, exactly on pitch and falling pleasantly upon the ears of all who heard it. Everyone, including Nataku and Battle, turned to see who had spoken.

Winter and Zero, each with their Spirit Beast partners on their left shoulders, strode into the room. Each had their shields on their backs and their swords at their waists, Zero wearing the Buster Sword while Winter wore both the Maelstrom Blade and her own sword. “I, Zero, the Winged Knight, Royal Knight, partner of the Feather Dragon, Champion and Savior of Lacroa, sponsor Battle and Nataku to join the ranks of Royal Knights. They have proven themselves Knights of unquestionable integrity, fierce loyalty and selfless generosity.”

By this time Winter and Zero had reached the dais and bowed to the Royal Family before taking their places next to Fang. “I, Winter, Knight of Silent Frost, Royal Knight, Partner of the Sacred Gryphon and wielder of the Maelstrom Blade, sponsor Battle and Nataku to join the ranks of the Royal Knights.” It was Winter’s voice which had spoken first, her throat bare of any of the scarring which had marred it for the last eight years. Only a slight ridge remained, which obviously didn’t affect her breathing or speech any longer. “I have fought alongside these Knights and they are intelligent in their fealty, compassionate of their allies, wise in their council and unerring in their judgment of if and when mercy is warranted upon their foes.”

“Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus,” the King said, as Princess Rele drew her sword and touched the flat of its blade to both of Battle’s shoulders, “We have found you worthy of ascension to the rank of Royal Knight, by the word of these Royal Knights, whom have proven themselves to be elegant and true. Do not shame them, in your actions. Do not shame Lacroa, in your actions. Nataku, Bronze Knight, We have found you worthy of ascension to the rank of Royal Knight, by the word of these Royal Knights, whom have proven themselves to be wise and cunning. Do no shame to them, in your actions. Do no shame to Lacroa, in your actions.” Rele touched Nataku’s shoulders with her sword, smiling at him when he glanced up at her.

“Stand,” she said gently, sliding her sword back into its scabbard. “Nataku, Royal Knight of Lacroa. Stand, Battle, Royal Knight of Lacroa. Do your duties with vigilance, love and tolerance, for the good of your King, Queen and Princess. Do your duties with fealty, wisdom and justice, for the good of all Lacroa.”

The two stood, turning to face the crowd of nobles, guests and common people whom had come to watch the ceremony. “People of Lacroa,” Queen Katrina said, raising a hand, “know your new Royal Knights, Nataku, the Bronze Knight, and Battle, Knight of the Crimson Lotus!”

The room exploded into cheers.


	23. Chapter 23

Directly after Nataku and Battle’s promotion ceremony was one which officially ended Artos’ exile.The young man immediately turned half of his ancestral lands over to the King and Queen, a gesture showing both humility and gratitude for their acceptance.The Gundam Force and allies waited impatiently through the formality, all of them eying Zero and Winter who, in turn, ignored each and every one of them.Only after did they have a chance to corner the two Royal Knights, pelting them with questions on why they had disappeared so suddenly from the _Sparrow’s Pride_ which they stood fast against.

Finally Winter had enough and gave everyone an icy and withering look, silencing them.”We left because we were exhausted,” she announced, “in mind and body.We knew Fang could continue to handle our absence and, honest, this is all you need to know!”

“My beloved protectors,” Princess Rele said, the small crowd of humans and gundams parting at her approach.Her clear blue eyes were filled with concern, prompting both Royal Knights to go to one knee before her.”Are you recovered?Magic fatigue is so hard to shake–”

“My deepest apologies, Princess,” Zero said, producing a Princess Rose for her.”Neither of us knew Kestrel Freeborn was going to be so contrary and not tell you of our decision, though we should have suspected,” he added ruefully.”She _is_ her father’s daughter.Please rest assured that we are fully recovered, in body, Mana and spirit.”

Accepting the rose, Rele nodded, though all of the worry didn’t leave her expression.Winter came to her feet and reached to take the Princess’ hand gently, first bowing over it and brushing her mask against it before straightening and giving Rele a smile.”We are hale and whole, Rele,” she said in her smoky and smooth tones, “and in our right minds.We are ready to take up our duties at any time.”

The Princess finally smiled, the tension bleeding from her form.”Good,” she sighed, gently squeezing Winter’s hand.”You will find your duties reduced to a hopefully more tolerable level, both of you, now that there are the proper number of Royal Knights again.We have decided to leave the assigning of ranks to the five of you, as you see fit.”

“We are looking forward to the lightened load,” Winter said cheerfully.”Be prepared for us to take more trips to see our friends in NeoTopia and Ark, Princess.”

“I’d hope so,” Baku injected grumpily, “you’ve barely visited at all over the last few years!”

“Calm yourself, samurai,” Zero said, snapping his fingers.The typical purple, red and pink roses appeared atop the Musha’s head, joined swiftly by a trio of blue roses: Winter’s contribution.

“And here at last is something which hasn’t changed,” Nataku announced, a grin clear in his voice.The Bronze Knight carefully retrieved the bunch of flowers from the Blazing Samurai’s helmet and offered them to Rele with a mischievous sparkle to his garnet eyes.”Look, Battle, your cornerstone.No matter what else happens, Zero still delights in covering people with roses!”

Bakunetsumaru scowled fiercely when just about everyone around him broke into laughter, even Princess Rele.”Villain,” he growled, giving Zero a sour look.”No one makes a fool of me.”

“Why bother,”Zero taunted, “when you do such a good job of it yourself?”

“Rogue,” Baku cried, his weapons in his fists in an instant.Both Battle and Nataku reached for their own weapons but before either of them could do anything, Zero had snapped his fingers and more roses had sprouted from the tips of Baku’s katana.”Argh, outlaw, brigand, criminal, vile scoundrel!I’ll have your head!”

“If you could catch me, you crass knave!” Zero said, engaging his flight booster and zipping off, Baku hard on his heels.Nataku and Battle stared after them in disbelief before Battle finally gave a deep chuckle.

“Now _there_ is the young, brash Knight I remember!”

“It’s normal, for them,” Shute told the two Royal Knights with a shrug.”They’ve been like that pretty much since the first day they met.”

“And we would not wish either of them to change,” Winter put in, a soft laugh in her voice.”Come, my friends.Let us go make sure they do each other no lasting harm.”


	24. Chapter 24

Life had been mostly peaceful for two years, only peppered with a few adventures here and there.Shute found himself bored more often than not, despite his rise to the rank of assistant director of the Super Dimensional Guard.Knowing he had finished the day’s reports more than an hour ago and the week’s reports half an hour after that, Shute glanced at the door before pulling open one of his desk drawers.Under a stack of forms and in a bin containing pens, pencils and styluses were a set of darts which he found himself using more and more often to stave off the boredom of a desk-job. _I was spoiled by everything that happened when I was a kid,_ the twenty-three year old thought ruefully, cocking his arm back to throw the first dart.Just as he released it his intercom beeped and the dart ended up ricocheting off of a corner and forcing him to duck.”Yeah?” he asked, slapping the button to activate the mic.”What?”

“Throwing the darts again?”Juli asked.Shute could hear the clear grin in her voice and sighed.

“Got anything else for me to do?” He asked, standing to retrieve the dart from where it had landed behind a bookcase.

“I do, actually.You’ve been sent a Royal Invitation to Lacroa,” Juli told him, prompting Shute to jerk his head up, dart forgotten, and arrive at the older woman’s side in moments.She was holding the scroll out to him with the grin he had heard over the intercom.”You’ll have to wear your dress uniform,” she teased.

Shute grinned and snatched up the shimmering scroll, running his eyes over it briefly.”I don’t care, I haven’t seen Rele, Zero or any of the others in ages!Baku visits more and he’s got his lands to protect.”

“Better go get ready,” Juli encouraged, making a shooing motion.”And make sure you get Natalie and Captain, they’ve been invited, too.”

 

**

 

“Any idea what this is about?”Shute asked Captain a few hours later, following the young Knight Gundam escorting them through the halls of Lacroa Palace.

“I don’t know,” Captain reminded his human companion while Natalie rolled her eyes.”Any more than I knew five minutes ago.”

“Seriously, bro, cool down,” his sister said, grinning slightly when Shute gave her a dark look.

“Ain’t nice t’be pesterin’ folk ’bout things they don’t know,” came a drawling voice from their right.Shute looked over and grinned on seeing Claw, splendid in her gold and brown armor.Natalie shot over to throw her arms around Claw’s neck, a gesture the cat-gundam returned with one arm, as always.”Hello, poppit.You’ve grown.”

“Have you been relegated to greeting duty?”Shute asked, offering a hand to the Smoke Knight.After Natalie let her go, Claw took Shute’s hand and bowed over it very briefly.”It’s great to see you, Claw.”

“Aye,” Claw agreed, turning to walk with the three toward the Throne Room.She shooed off the young Knight Gundam who had been their escort so far.”G’wan, back t’yer trainin’.An’ nay, lad.You be the last t’arrive, so our Lady Knight be sendin’ me t’make sure y’made it in time.”

“What’s this all about?” Shute asked, curiosity alive in his green eyes. Claw’s golden eyes glinted wickedly and she leveled the man with a look.

“Our Royal Knights be crackin’ down on discipline lately,” she replied, tone relaxed. “I’ll not be wantin’ to go against orders.”

Captain and Shute exchanged skeptical looks. “Since when have you followed any kind of order?” Shute wanted to know, dancing back slightly when Claw’s relaxed look turned to a glare. “Sorry, sorry.”

“You’ll not be takin’ offense at truth spoken, sister,” Fang said, falling into step with the small group on their left side. Claw made a face at her higher-ranked sibling and, as usual, Fang just laughed. “Shute, Captain, Natalie. How be things in NeoTopia? Suitably borin’ and peaceful?”

“You’ve got that right,” Shute sighed, shaking his head. “I’ve been thinking about asking the Chief if I could have an assignment in Ark or the Pirate Isles. Or even here.”

“Lacroa be a land at peace,” Fang said with a grin. “Her neighbors not be offerin’ any kind of tension– even Ark be united under the DaiShogun of Perfect Virtue. You be outta luck, lookin’ for trouble, lad. Unless you’ve a mind t’be scoutin’ the unknown lands of Solardiarama.”

“Now there’s an idea,” Shute mused.

“Great,” Natalie grumbled, “now he’ll be pestering dad for ages to go out there.”

“Fang,” Zero sighed, though his expression and tone were cheerful, falling into place beside Claw, “thanks for putting ideas in Shute’s head. With all of the adventure he had in his childhood, you’d think he’d be glad of a little peace, now.”

“I know how Shute feels,” Winter objected, arriving to walk beside Fang, “Day and I have been itching for something worthy of our attention. Border patrols are only interesting for so long.”

“Hey guys,” Shute greeted, looking over at two of his oldest friends. “Do you know what this is about?”

“Yes,” Winter said, her tone entirely smug. Shute waited but neither Royal Knight volunteered any more information and he brought a hand up to smooth over his hair, sighing in exasperation.

“You’re just determined to leave me in suspense, aren’t you?” He asked, knowing his tone was bordering on whining.

“We can’t go against orders,” Zero stated, his voice just as smug. “Hurry, now!” The Winged Knight lifted himself from the ground and flew ahead, Winter and Fang flashing Shute and Captain grins before trotting after their leader.

“It’s good to see Winter and Zero so cheerful,” Captain pointed out, keeping up easily when Shute lengthened his stride out of impatience.

“Aye,” Claw agreed, “I keep forgettin’ you ain’t been ’round. It be hard t’get those two down, they be findin’ somethin’ t’laugh over all days.”

 

**

 

“Hey guys!” Kesshō chirped, returning Natalie’s hug firmly. “Hi! How’re you?”

“Shute’s bored,” Natalie said, grinning. “I’m good, top of my class in school, number two in track.”

“That’s great!” Baku said with a smile. “And if Shute needs something to do–”

“Don’t even, Baku,” Natalie interrupted. “You’ve got your own responsibilities.”

“Shh!” Claw hissed, passing the group to stand with the other Knights. The members of the Gundam Force standing in the audience could see the King and Queen, both looking happy and relaxed, with their five Royal Knights arranged around them, Winter closest to the Queen, Zero standing in the middle, Battle closest to the King. Winter, the group noticed, was still wearing the Maelstrom Blade at her hip, though she was the only one of the Royal Knights besides Fang to have their weapons at hand.

“Long has Lacroa waited,” Zero said, silencing everyone in the room, nobles, commoners and guests alike, “for a day such as this.”

“We are delighted and proud to announce,” the King continued, he and the Queen standing at the same time to gesture to a curtain behind their thrones, “the official engagement of Princess Relejimana Miya du Lacroa and Lord Artos du Bennr! In three months time, they are to be wed!”

Artos and Rele stepped out from behind the curtain, their faces wreathed in smiles and holding hands. “Long live Princess Relejimana!” All of the Knights, including the five Royal Knights, cried, the hundreds of voices thundering through the building and into the air outside, “long live Lord Artos! Long live Queen Katrina! Long live King Zeon!”

“No wonder Zero and Winter were being so smug!” Natalie shouted over the sound of cheering, dancing around with Kesshō. “This is awesome!”

“They look great together,” Shute said, pounding his hands together in approval. “I’m so glad Rele found someone!”

 

**

 

Bakunetsumaru’s life had settled into a routine of patrolling his lands and settling disputes among the people who lived there, something the Blazing Samurai found he could be surprisingly good at, if the mood hit him.Now, three months after the wedding of Princess Relejimana and now-Prince Artos, Baku was relaxing on his back porch, appreciating the moment of stillness.His life wasn’t one he had ever imagined for himself but he was happy with it none the less, particularly since his house wasn’t empty even when his friends from the Gundam Force weren’t visiting.

The sound of Entengo’s call startled him enough that he almost spilled tea down the front of his armor.Frowning, he set the cup down and retrieved his swords, fixing them to his sides before striding through his house toward the front soji door.Kesshō wasn’t home at the moment, but the mecha-horse’s neigh hadn’t been the happy one he used for the small ryuu.Answering neighs of two other horses had Baku’s left hand on the grip of his right katana, his right hand carefully sliding the door open the slightest bit so he could see who had dropped in unannounced.

To his great surprise he saw Hiryugo and Kakuryogu, both mecha-horses pawing the ground as Kibaomaru dismounted from his chariot _Oshogo_.Still wary of the warlord despite the time having passed since Kibaomaru had last offered anything resembling an attack, the Blazing Samurai opened the soji door all the way, keeping his left hand on the grip of one of his katana.”Kibaomaru?” He asked, showing his puzzlement in his voice.

“Hello, Bakunetsumaru,” the older Musha gundam said, resting a palm on Hiryogo’s nose.”There are some gifts for your home in _Oshogo_ , brought from the Pirate Isles.Where is your stable?My horses need rest.”

“This way,” Bakunetsumaru said automatically, though he was still obviously confused.”What are you doing here?” He asked bluntly.

Kibaomaru chuckled.”Some day you’ll learn to soften your words,” he said.”But your straightforwardness is refreshing.The DaiShogun directed me here until he finds lands suitable for me to settle on, or a cause worthy of my abilities.”

“Why would you need land?”Baku demanded.”You’re Governor of the Pirate Isles, are you not?”

“No.The Freeborn Family has grown enough that they are able to claim their right to the leadership of the Isles,” Kibaomaru told him, his voice reflecting no resentment or bitterness.The Blazing Samurai turned to face him, expression skeptical.Seeing this, the old warlord chuckled.”Am I not welcome here, Bakunetsumaru?Should I retire to Lacroa while my son finds a place for me?”

“Stable your horses,” Baku said finally, gesturing to the stable that could now be seen past a stand of trees.”There is room inside for _Oshogo_ , too.We will speak more of what has happened.”He paused, then finally smiled and bowed to the older Musha.”Welcome to my home, Kibaomaru.”

 

**

 

“I was always aware that my tenure as Governor of the Pirate Isles was temporary,” Kibaomaru said calmly, sitting with Bakunetsumaru on his back porch, a teapot on a low table between them.”It lasted eight years longer than I had expected it to, honestly.Falcon and Peregrine were apparently in no hurry to produce heirs at first, then Kestrel Freeborn was far more interested in being captain of _Sparrow’s Pride_ than in being Governor.It wasn’t until her younger sister Gyrfalcon Freeborn came of age and expressed interest in the training I had offered to both of them that I knew my ‘temporary’ post was coming to an end.”

“Gyrfalcon is Falcon’s second daughter,” Baku mused, “and they have no sons that I know of.When Gyrfalcon didn’t immediately want the governorship–”

“Exactly.”Kibaomaru took a sip of his tea, brown eyes contemplating th tea leaves which had settled into the bottom of his cup.”I will miss it, particularly Library, for he and I grew to know each other very well.But it was time and past for me to move on.”

“I think it would be best if you did not accept lands,” Bakunetsumaru heard himself say, earning a curious look from his one-time adversary.

“Oh?” the warlord asked mildly, watching the Blazing Samurai.Bakunetsumaru found himself hard-pressed to tell if it was amusement or irritation behind his company’s gaze.

“Your skills would be wasted,” Baku pressed on.He fell quiet at that point, letting the thought complete itself in his mind before speaking further.Kibaomaru waited patiently, wanting to hear what the younger Musha had to say.”Ark will always need a warleader, even with the DaiShogun leading us in peace.There are still ronin Musha and lords which believe they can do a better job than your son and my friend.”

“Time and age have given you wisdom to temper your fires,” Kibaomaru said after a thoughtful silence.”It’s good to see, Bakunetsumaru.”

“Thank you,” Baku said, offering the other Musha a slight bow and a brief smile in thanks for the compliment.”You’ll be welcome in my home until the DaiShogun decides where you can best serve, Kibaomaru.”The slight smile turned to an honest one.”If only because Winter has spent so long vouching for you.If I can’t trust the word of a Royal Knight, who can I trust?”

For a moment, it looked as though Kibaomaru was going to be offended.Then the warlord tipped his head back and gave a booming laugh, resting his hands on his thighs.”Your friendship with the Winged Knight of Lacroa has borne fruit none of us would have expected when all of this began,” Kibaomaru laughed, reaching to pour both of them more tea.


	25. Epilogue

Zero the Winged Knight, Savior and Champion of Lacroa thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep while Princess Relejimana Miya du Lacroa was in labor to bring her first child and heir into the world.The Princess and her lord husband, Artos du Bennr, hadn’t announced her pregnancy until she was into her second trimester and most of the danger of a miscarriage had passed, two years after their wedding.Eight and a half months later the pride of Lacroa had gone into labor, weeks earlier than anyone had thought she should.The event had the entire palace in a tense knot, despite doctors from NeoTopia and healers from the ranks of the Musha attending her.The Princess was beloved to all.

A hand shook Zero’s shoulder and the Winged Knight jerked his eyes open to see Fang bending over him with a kind smile.”Wake, Zero.You’re summoned t’the Princess’ side.”

“Is she all right?”Zero demanded, surging to his feet.

“She be fine,” Fang assured him, hurrying him on his way.Instead of going inside with him, however, the Knight of the Hunt merely pushed him through the door, closing it behind him.For a moment Zero froze, taking in the exhausted pallor of Rele’s skin where she laid propped among the pillows of her bed, and fear gripped his gunsoul.He had never seen her so pale, dark circles under her eyes, her normally golden hair dark with sweat and plastered to her skin in strings.

_Human women have been giving birth for as long as humans have been living,_ he reminded himself, floating silently to where Artos was sitting, holding an impossibly small bundle in his arms with an expression of unabashed awe.The man’s gray-brown eyes were also lit with an intense love which prompted a slight blush to come unbidden to Zero’s mask.

“Twins,” Artos said softly, prompting his lady wife’s eyes to flutter open.She gave a weary smile to Zero, who only then noticed the second bundle in his Princess’ arms.”A girl, firstborn, followed by a boy.Here, meet your new Princess, Zero.Her name is Spring.”

The Winged Knight gazed down at the small human in Artos’ arms, raising a finger to very gently trace one tiny cheek.The baby’s eyes, framed by dark, delicate lashes, opened and he saw they were a very light gray-blue.He knew instantly who the Royal Couple had honored with the choice of name and for a moment his words stuck in his throat.”I thank you on her behalf,” he managed, swallowing hard.Princess Spring managed to free an arm and reached toward Zero.”Hello,” he said very softly, still regaining his composure.He let the newborn grasp his finger.”I will protect you with all I am, Princess Spring.”

The newborn regarded the Winged Knight with an almost knowing solemn expression.When he smiled at her, however, the expression lightened and her grip on his finger tightened.”She likes you,” Artos said, chuckling.

“All Princesses like our Zero,” Rele murmured, her voice strained and hoarse.”Zero, come here.”

Easing his finger from Spring’s grip, the Royal Knight floated over to gaze down at the smaller bundle in Rele’s arms.To his surprise, she settled the babe into his arms, adjusting his grip until he had a securely gentle hold.”Princess?” He questioned, his soft voice causing the little boy’s eyes to shoot open.Zero stared at their aquamarine depths for a good minute before raising his electric blue eyes to meet Rele’s tired blue gaze.

“Yes,” she said simply, her expression impossible to read.”You know what his name is,” she continued, not breaking his gaze.The babe shifted himself slightly in Zero’s grip and he instinctively held the bundle a bit closer.

“I do,” the Winged Knight whispered.He finally looked back down at the boy, reeling slightly from the emotional toll the day had wrought from him.”It’s Deed.”His voice broke slightly on the last word, causing Rele and Artos to exchange a brief but intensely worried glance.Deed, however, gave a happy burble, waving his tiny fists in the air until Zero shifted his grip enough to offer him a finger, like he had to Spring.Deed immediately grasped it, his innocent laughter cascading through the room.”Humans don’t remember their past lives, do they?”Zero asked, his gaze now fixed on the little boy in his arms.

“No,” Rele said, relaxing back against her pillows.The air in the room also relaxed, the tension vanishing as though it had never been.”We don’t.”

“He’ll have a fresh start,” Zero murmured, conjuring a small and gentle toy for the young Prince.”I’m so glad.Truly, I am.”

“You’ll be able to serve him, then?”Artos asked.Zero looked up, but saw only understanding in his lord’s gaze.The Winged Knight nodded, returning his eyes to Deed, expression soft.

“I will.Hello, Prince Deed.I am Zero.It’s good to meet you.”


End file.
